Doppler flow characteristics in patients with pelvic inflammatory disease: responders versus nonresponders to therapy.

PURPOSE: The objective of this retrospective study was to evaluate the role of Doppler flow studies in predicting the response to antibiotic treatment in patients with pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).

METHODS

The resistance indices in pelvic masses of 24 patients with clinical diagnoses of PID were analyzed.

RESULTS

Twelve patients responded favorably to antibiotic treatment (the conservative treatment group), while the other patients showed no clinical improvement and underwent surgery (surgical treatment group). The mean resistance index in the conservative treatment group was significantly higher (0.60 +/- 0.15) than that in the surgical treatment group (0.52 +/- 0.08; p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

In keeping with hyperemia of inflammation, fallopian arterial resistance seems to decrease with the severity of PID.