Fallopian tubes and ultrasonography: the Sion experience.

OBJECTIVE

To compare the accuracy of three new ultrasonographic methods of detecting tubal patency and pathology with established methods like hysterosalpingography (HSG) and laparoscopy.

DESIGN

Sixty-seven cases were evaluated by performing the Sion test using endosonography to check for tubal patency. The Sion procedure includes filling up the pouch of Douglas with approximately 300 mL of sterile normal saline to elucidate not only the patency but visualize the motility, the fimbriae, and peritubal adhesions, if present. We have compared the accuracy of this procedure with HSG and laparoscopy in 24 infertile women. Color-coded duplex Doppler sonography was used in 38 patients to check for tubal patency.

RESULTS

Our experience at the Sion Hospital using the three new ultrasonographic techniques for evaluating the status of the fallopian tubes is very encouraging. The accuracy with the three modes shows agreement in > 90% of cases with established investigative modalities such as HSG and laparoscopy.

CONCLUSION

These three new investigative modalities are offered not as substitutes for HSG, laparoscopy, hysteroscopy, or salpingoscopy but as office-screening procedures that would be complementary to the armamentarium of infertility investigations already available.