ORLANDO – Direct visualization with sonovaginography had greater success in predicting rectal/rectosigmoid deep infiltrating endometriosis than did negative transvaginal ultrasound uterine “sliding sign,” according to the findings of a prospective study of 189 women.
“Both performed quite well,” but sonovaginography was superior for predicting rectal deep infiltrating endometriosis on all measures, including accuracy – 92% vs. 88%, said Bassem Gerges, MBBS, an ob.gyn. at the University of Sydney, Kingswood.
Dr. Gerges and his colleagues evaluated 189 women of reproductive age who were scheduled for operative laparoscopy at a tertiary referral center for women. The patients had a history of chronic pelvic pain and/or endometriosis and presented between 2009 and 2013.
The women first had transvaginal ultrasound to determine if their uterine sliding sign was positive or negative, followed by sonovaginography to assess the posterior pelvic compartment for rectal or rectosigmoid deep infiltrating endometriosis. All patients then underwent laparoscopic surgery for endometriosis.
Laparoscopy revealed pouch of Douglas obliteration in 47 of the 189 women and rectal and/or rectosigmoid deep infiltrating endometriosis in 43 women.
The sensitivity of sonovaginography to predict deep infiltrating endometriosis was 88%, compared with 74% for the sliding-sign approach. Specificity was the same with the two methods at 93%. The positive predictive value was 79% vs. 74%, respectively, and the negative predictive value was 97% vs. 93%.
“These findings can help clinicians with preoperative planning,” Dr. Gerges said at the meeting, which was sponsored by AAGL.
Dr. Gerges and his colleagues also identified 11 false-negative cases in which the sliding sign was positive but laparoscopy confirmed rectal deep infiltrating endometriosis.
Previous research suggests that, in women with suspected endometriosis, a negative transvaginal ultrasound uterine sliding sign can predict rectal or rectosigmoid deep infiltrating endometriosis (Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol. 2013;41[6]:692-5, J Ultrasound Med. 2014;33:315-21). A negative sliding sign indicates the presence of uterorectal adhesions and whether the pouch of Douglas might be obliterated. The current study, however, suggested that sonovaginography might be the better method.
Dr. Gerges reported having no relevant financial disclosures.