Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Characterization of Normal and Polycystic Ovaries Using Three-Dimensional Power Doppler Ultrasonography

  • Published:
Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose : To evaluate the characteristics of polycystic compared to normal ovaries using three-dimensional (3-D) power Doppler ultrasonography.

Methods : We recruited 42 volunteers, all of whom were commencing IVF treatment. Each patient was examined in the cycle preceeding the start of drug therapy during the late follicular phase. If eight or more subcapsular follicles of 2–8 mm in diameter in one two-dimensional (2-D) plane were detected in either of the ovaries, the patient was categorized as having polycystic ovaries (PCO); otherwise the ovaries were considered normal. The parameters examined were volume of the ovary, vascularization index (VI), flow index (FI), vascularization flow index (VFI), and mean greyness (MG). In addition, the ovary was arbitrarily divided into cortex and stroma, and thereafter volume, VI, FI, VFI, and MG were calculated for these two regions.

Results : Twenty-eight women had normal ovaries and 14 had PCO. The comparison between normal and PCO showed that as a group the PCO were larger, without any differences in VI, FI, VFI, or MG. In patients with PCO, the right ovary was larger than the left one. In patients with normal ovaries, FI was higher on the left side. Division into cortex and stroma revealed that there were no differences in cortical or stromal VI, FI, VFI, or MG between normal and PCO on either side.

Conclusions : The ovaries defined as polycystic were larger than normal ovaries, but there was no difference in the echogenicity of the stroma between polycystic and normal ovaries. We were also unable to demonstrate that the polycystic ovarian stroma was more vascularized than the stroma in the normal ovaries.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

REFERENCES

  1. Adams J, Franks S, Polson DW, Mason HD, Abdulwahid N, Tucker M, Morris DV, Price J, Jacobs HS: Multifollicular ovaries: Clinical and endocrine features and response to pulsatile gonadotropin releasing hormone. Lancet 1985;2:1375–1379

    Google Scholar 

  2. Adams J, Polson DW, Franks S: Prevalence of polycystic ovaries in women with anovulation and idiopathic hirsutism. Br Med J (Clin Res Ed) 1986;293:355–359

    Google Scholar 

  3. Homburg R: Polycystic ovary syndrome—From gynaecological curiosity to multisystem endocrinopathy. Hum Reprod 1996;11:29–39

    Google Scholar 

  4. Al-Took S, Watkin K, Tulandi T, Tan SL: Ovarian stromal echogenicity in women with clomiphene citrate-sensitive and clomiphene citrate-resistant polycystic ovary syndrome. Fertil Steril 1999;71:952–954

    Google Scholar 

  5. Atiomo WU, Pearson S, Shaw S, Prentice A, Dubbins P: Ultrasound criteria in the diagnosis of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Ultrasound Med Biol 2000;26:977–980

    Google Scholar 

  6. Kyei-Mensah A, Zaidi J, Campbell S: Ultrasound diagnosis of polycystic ovary syndrome. Baillieres Clin Endocrinol Metab 1996;10:249–262

    Google Scholar 

  7. Zaidi J, Campbell S, Pittrof R, Kyei-Mensah A, Shaker A, Jacobs HS, Tan SL: Ovarian stromal blood flow in women with polycystic ovaries—A possible new marker for diagnosis? Hum Reprod 1995;10:1992–1996

    Google Scholar 

  8. Aleem F, Predanic M: Transvaginal color Doppler determination of the ovarian and uterine blood flow characteristics in polycystic ovary disease. Fertil Steril 1996;65:510–516

    Google Scholar 

  9. Agrawal R, Sladkevicius P, Engmann L, Conway GS, Payne NN, Bekis J, Tan SL, Campbell S, Jacobs HS: Serum vascular endothelial growth factor concentrations and ovarian stromal blood flow are increased in women with polycystic ovaries. Hum Reprod 1998;13:651–655

    Google Scholar 

  10. Pinkas H, Mashiach R, Rabinerson D, Avrech OM, Royburt M, Rufas O, Meizner I, Ben-Rafael Z, Fisch B: Doppler parameters of uterine and ovarian stromal blood flow in women with polycystic ovary syndrome and normally ovulating women undergoing controlled ovarian stimulation. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol 1998;12:197–200

    Google Scholar 

  11. Takahashi K, Okada M, Ozaki T, Uchida A, Yamasaki H, Kitao M: Transvaginal ultrasonographic morphology in polycystic ovarian syndrome. Gynecol Obstet Invest 1995;39:201–206

    Google Scholar 

  12. Fox R:Transvaginal ultrasound appearances of the ovary in normalwomenand hirsutewomenwith oligomenorrhoea.Aust N Z J Obstet Gynaecol 1999;39:63–68

    Google Scholar 

  13. Battaglia C, Regnani G, Artini PG, Giulini S, Genazzani AD, Genazzani AR, Volpe A: Polycystic ovary syndrome: A new ultrasonographic and color Doppler pattern. Gynecol Endocrinol 2000;14:417–424

    Google Scholar 

  14. Pairleitner H, Steiner H, Hasenoehrl G, Staudach A: Threedimensional power Doppler sonography: Imaging and quantifying blood flow and vascularization. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol 1999;14:139–143

    Google Scholar 

  15. Cohen LS, Escobar PF, Scharm C, Glimco B, Fishman DA: Three-dimensional power Doppler ultrasound improves the diagnostic accuracy for ovarian cancer prediction. Gynecol Oncol 2001;82:40–48

    Google Scholar 

  16. Keberle M, Jenett M, Hahn D: Clinical trial on the accuracy of a freehand and sensor-independent three-dimensional power Doppler ultrasound system measuring diameters, volumes and vascularity of malignant primaries of the neck. Ultraschall Med 2001;22:91–95

    Google Scholar 

  17. Norman RJ, Hague WM, Masters SC, Wang XJ: Subjects with polycystic ovaries without hyperandrogenaemia exhibit similar disturbances in insulin and lipid profiles as those with polycystic ovary syndrome. Hum Reprod 1995;10:2258–2261

    Google Scholar 

  18. Agrawal R, Conway G, Sladkevicius P, Tan SL, Engmann L, Payne N, Bekir J, Campbell S, Jacobs H: Serum vascular endothelial growth factor and Doppler blood flow velocities in in vitro fertilization: Relevance to ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome and polycystic ovaries. Fertil Steril 1998;70:651–658

    Google Scholar 

  19. Pache TD, Hop WC, Wladimiroff JW, Schipper J, Fauser BC: Transvaginal sonography and abnormal ovarian appearance in menstrual cycle disturbances. Ultrasound Med Biol 1991;17:589–593

    Google Scholar 

  20. van Hooff MH, Voorhorst FJ, Kaptein MB, Hirasing RA, Koppenaal C, Schoemaker J: Polycystic ovaries in adolescents and the relationship with menstrual cycle patterns, luteinizing hormone, androgens, and insulin. Fertil Steril 2000;74: 49–58

    Google Scholar 

  21. Buckett WM, Bouzayen R, Watkin KL, Tulandi T, Tan SL: Ovarian stromal echogenicity in women with normal and polycystic ovaries. Hum Reprod 1999;14:618–621

    Google Scholar 

  22. Wu MH, Tang HH, Hsu CC, Wang ST, Huang KE: The role of three-dimensional ultrasonographic images in ovarian measurement. Fertil Steril 1998;69:1152–1155

    Google Scholar 

  23. Griffin IJ, Cole TJ, Duncan KA, Hollman AS, Donaldson MD: Pelvic ultrasound measurements in normal girls. Acta Paediatr 1995;84:536–543

    Google Scholar 

  24. Pan HA, Wu MH, Cheng YC, Li CH, Chang FM. Quantifi-cation of Doppler signal in polycystic ovary syndrome using three-dimensional power Doppler ultrasonography: A possible new marker for diagnosis. Hum Reprod 2002;17:201–206

    Google Scholar 

  25. Engmann L, Sladkevicius P, Agrawal R, Bekir J, Campbell S, Tan SL: The pattern of changes in ovarian stromal and uterine artery blood flow velocities during in vitro fertilization treatment and its relationship with outcome of the cycle. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol 1999;13:26–33

    Google Scholar 

  26. Battaglia C, Artini P, D'Ambrogio G, Genazzani A, Genazzani A: The role of color Doppler imaging in the diagnosis of Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics, Vol. 19, No. 12, December 2002 590 J¨arvel ¨ a, Mason, Sladkevicius, Kelly, Ojha, Campbell, and Nargund polycystic ovary syndrome. Am J Obstet Gynecol 1995;172:108–113

    Google Scholar 

  27. Sladkevicius P, Valentin L, Marsal K: Blood flow velocities in the uterine and ovarian arteries during normal menstrual cycle. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol 1993;3:199–208

    Google Scholar 

  28. Tan S, Zaidi J, Campbell S, Doyle P, Collins W: Blood flow changes in the ovarian and uterine arteries during the normal menstrual cycle. Am J Obstet Gynecol 1996;175:625–631

    Google Scholar 

  29. Zaidi J, Jacobs H, Campbell S, Tan SL: Blood flow changes in the ovarian and uterine arteries in women with polycystic ovary syndrome who respond to clomiphene citrate: Correlation with serum hormone concentrations. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol 1998;12:188–196

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland

    I. Y. Järvelä

  2. Diana, Princess of Wales Centre for Reproductive Medicine, Academic Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, St George's Hospital Medical School, London, United Kingdom

    I. Y. Järvelä, S. Kelly, K. Ojha, S. Campbell & G. Nargund

  3. Academic Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Department of Physiology, St George's Hospital Medical School, London, United Kingdom

    H. D. Mason

  4. Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Kvinnokliniken, Universitetsjukhuse MAS, Malmö, Sweden

    P. Sladkevicius

Authors
  1. I. Y. Järvelä
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. H. D. Mason
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. P. Sladkevicius
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. S. Kelly
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. K. Ojha
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. S. Campbell
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. G. Nargund
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to I. Y. Järvelä.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Järvelä, I.Y., Mason, H.D., Sladkevicius, P. et al. Characterization of Normal and Polycystic Ovaries Using Three-Dimensional Power Doppler Ultrasonography. J Assist Reprod Genet 19, 582–590 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1021267200316

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1021267200316

Search

Navigation