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In a prospective study 155 postmenopausal women not on hormone treatment underwent a vaginal ultrasound investigation. All women were routine patients of the regular ambulance. In addition to uterus biometry, the endometrial thickness was also measured. An endometrium of greater than or equal to 4 mm thickness was clarified histologically by means of a curettage. In total we found 7 endometrial cancers and 1 cervical cancer. Vaginal sonography proved to be a very sensitive (81%) and specific (89%) method for the detection of endometrial neoplasia.

Vaginosonographic measurements of the endometrium were performed in 155 postmenopausal women without abnormal gynecological findings and free of any clinical symptoms. An endometrial thickness of greater than or equal to 4 mm was clarified histologically by means of a curettage. We found endometrial carcinomas in seven cases, cervical carcinomas in one, endometrial polyps in ten and glandular-cystic hyperplasia in three cases. One patient showed an atrophic endometrium associated with a submucous myoma. In total, endometrial carcinomas were detected by sonography in 4.5% of our patients. On the basis of our preliminary results, we conclude that vaginosonographic examination of the endometrium is a highly sensitive (81%) and specific (89%) method, with good acceptance by the patients, in the detection of asymptomatic benign and malignant neoplasms of the postmenopausal woman.

In a prospective study at the University of Göttingen 206 cystic ovarian tumours were examined vaginosonographically. Basing on a graduated schedule, the individual therapy of each ovarian tumour was determined. By use of this clinical management, all blastomas could be detected correctly and in 6.8% of all cases a follicle or corpus luteum cyst was operated per laparotomiam. Basing on the created data, the authors suggest a simple and effective clinical management of cystic ovarian tumours.