Hum. Reprod. Advance Access originally published online on June 14, 2006
Human Reproduction 2006 21(10):2661-2668; doi:10.1093/humrep/del211
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Assessment of changes in volume and vascularity of the ovaries during the normal menstrual cycle using three-dimensional power Doppler ultrasound
Obstetric, Gynecological and Prenatal Ultrasound Research Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Malmö University Hospital, Malmö, Sweden
1 To whom correspondence should be addressed at: Kvinnokliniken, Universitetssjukhuset MAS, S-20502 Malmö, Sweden. E-mail: povilas.sladkevicius{at}med.lu.se
BACKGROUND: Our aim was to describe changes in the volume and vascularization of both ovaries, the dominant follicle and the corpus luteum during the normal menstrual cycle using three-dimensional (3D) power Doppler ultrasound. METHODS: Fourteen healthy volunteers underwent serial transvaginal 3D ultrasound examinations of both ovaries on cycle day 2, 3 or 4, then daily from cycle day 9 until follicular rupture and 1, 2, 5, 7 and 12 days after follicular rupture. The volume and vascular indices of the ovaries, the dominant follicle and the corpus luteum were calculated off-line using virtual organ computer-aided analysis (VOCALTM) software. RESULTS: The volume of the dominant ovary increased during the follicular phase, decreased after follicular rupture and then increased again during the luteal phase. Vascular indices in the dominant ovary and the dominant follicle/corpus luteum increased during the follicular phase, the vascular flow index (VFI) in the dominant follicle being on average (median) 1.7 times higher on the day before ovulation than 4 days before ovulation (P = 0.003). The vascular indices continued to rise after follicular rupture so that VFI in the corpus luteum was on average (median) 3.1 times higher 7 days after ovulation than in the follicle on the day before ovulation (P = 0.0002). The volume and vascular indices in the non-dominant ovary manifested no unequivocal changes during the menstrual cycle. CONCLUSIONS: Substantial changes occur in volume and vascularization of the dominant ovary during the normal menstrual cycle. 3D power Doppler ultrasound may become a useful tool for assessing pathological changes in the ovaries, for example, in subfertile patients.
Key words: corpus luteum/menstrual cycle/ovarian follicle/ovary/three-dimensional imaging
CiteULike 
Connotea 
Del.icio.us What's this?
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  I. Y. Jarvela, A. Ruokonen, and A. Tekay Effect of rising hCG levels on the human corpus luteum during early pregnancy Hum. Reprod., August 10, 2008; (2008) den299v1. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 M. J. Kudla, I. E. Timor-Tritsch, J. M. Hope, A. Monteagudo, D. Popiolek, S. Monda, C. J. Lee, and A. A. Arslan Spherical Tissue Sampling in 3-Dimensional Power Doppler Angiography: A New Approach for Evaluation of Ovarian Tumors J. Ultrasound Med., March 1, 2008; 27(3): 425 - 433. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
R. Gerritse, C.C.M. Beerendonk, M.S.L. Tijink, A. Heetkamp, J.A.M. Kremer, D.D.M. Braat, and J.R. Westphal Optimal perfusion of an intact ovary as a prerequisite for successful ovarian cryopreservation Hum. Reprod., February 1, 2008; 23(2): 329 - 335. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|