Study on eutopic endometrial blood in endometriosis with contrast enhanced ultrasound

Objective To evaluate eutopic endometrial blood supply and vessels in patients with endometriosis(EMs) with contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS),to explore a newmethod to estimate vascularization of eutopic endometrium in EMs patients.Methods Thirty patients with EMs were enrolled and 20 patients who were diagnosed as other gynecological diseases as control.Informed consent of each case was obtained. All cases underwent conventional ultrasound examination and CEUS examination.Characteristics of CEUS in each patients were observed and analyzed using off-line Qontrast software.Parameters of CEUS including peak intensity(PEAK),time to peak(TTP),regional blood volume(RBV),regional blood flow(RBF) were obtained automatically.Results Comparing with control group,the eutopic endometrium in EMs group presented higher enhancement.The parameters of CEUS,including PEAK,TTP,RBV,RBF were (41.18 ± 3.29) dB,(29.01 ± 4.46) s,(29.07 ± 4.59) ml,(48.61 ± 5.35) ml/min in EMs group and (13.36 ± 2.34)dB,(24.59 ± 2.29)s,(26.51 ±- 3.80)ml,(48.71 ± 3.80)ml/min in controls respectively,the value of PEAK in EMs group was higher than that of controls ( P =0.000).Conclusions CEUS can be regarded as a new method which can be used to assess vascularization of eutopic endometrium in endometriosis. Key words: Ultrasonography; Microbubbles; Endometriosis; Endometrium