Three-dimensional ultrasound morphometry analysis of the uterine junctional zone in patients with unexplained infertility

Abstract EN

Objective : to use three-dimensional ultrasound to quantify changes in junctional zone morphometry during the normal menstrual cycle in patients with unexplained infertility.

Methods : A longitudinal, observational study has been carried out in 23 women with unexplained infertility and 24 for fertile women as controls.

Subjects were scanned by vaginal three-dimensional ultrasound every other day from day three of the cycle until ovulation.

After confirmation of ovulation, 3D transvaginal ultrasound was then performed every four days until the next cycle.

Virtual Organ Computer-Aided Analysis (VOCAL™) was used to define and measure thickness and volume of the subendometrial junctional zone at NURTRE clinic at Queen's Medical Centre at the University of Nottingham, UK.

Results : junctional zone volume and thickness demonstrated significant changes with time (PO.01) in both groups of the study.

There was a significant difference (P0.01) in junctional zone thickness between fertile and subfertile groups during the postovulatory period (+ 1 to + 9 day relative to ovulation).

However, there was no significant difference (P > 0.05) in junctional zone volume between both groups of the study throughout the menstrual cycle although the measurement tended to be higher in the fertile group at every point of the cycle.

Conclusion : this study has analysed dynamic morphometry of the uterine junctional zone during the normal menstrual cycle using three-dimensional ultrasound in patients with unexplained infertility.

We found that there was significant growth restriction in junctional zone thickness during the implantation period in subfertile group that might explain one of the causes of infertility.