| Summary: | The aim of this investigation was to correlate ovarian endometrioma
vascularization with the presence of pelvic pain. METHODS: The presence of blood
flow, peak systolic velocity (PSV, cm/s) and lowest pulsatility index (PI),
assessed by transvaginal colour Doppler ultrasonography and CA-125 plasma
concentrations, were retrospectively analysed in 74 patients who had undergone
operations for cystic ovarian endometriosis. Fifty-two patients were asymptomatic
(group A) and 22 presented with pelvic pain (group B). There were 56
endometriomas in group A and 26 in group B. RESULTS: Blood flow was found in 66.1
and 88.5% of endometriomas in groups A and B respectively (P = 0.036). PI was
significantly lower (P = 0.009) and CA-125 concentration higher (P = 0.0004) in
group B. There were no differences in PSV. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that
vascularization of ovarian endometriomas in patients presenting with pelvic pain
is higher than in asymptomatic patients. This could be an indicator of
endometriosis activity.
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