The ultrasonographic (US) appearance of the endometrium was evaluated in 80 patients, and the US diagnosis of endometrial stage was compared with that from same-day endometrial biopsy specimens. The US signs of proliferative endometrium included triple-line sign, hypoechoic function layer, and minimal or absent posterior acoustic enhancement. The signs of secretory endometrium included absent triple-line sign, hyperechoic functional layer, and strong posterior acoustic enhancement. When all of these US signs were clearly depicted in combination, the accuracy of diagnosis was 93% (30 patients). The accuracy of diagnosis for all patients in the study was 76% (73 patients). The relative distributions of each US sign in proliferative and secretory endometrium were compared. Despite complicating extrinsic factors such as uterine leiomyomas and intrinsic factors such as the transition period between endometrial phases, US staging of the endometrium is a useful diagnostic technique that allows serial examinations of the endometrium.

The tendency of a gelatin capsule to lodge in the esophagus, dissolve, and release its contents, as a potential etiology of drug-induced esophageal injury, was studied in 18 asymptomatic volunteers. Their ages ranged from 21 to 81 years, with nine subjects over 70 years old. Esophageal transit time of liquids was measured in all subjects after which the esophageal transit time of a #00 gelatin capsule containing technetium (99mTc) sulfur colloid was measured with a 120 ml and a 15 ml water bolus. The capsule lodged in three subjects (17 percent) with the 120 ml bolus and in 11 subjects (61 percent) with the 15 ml bolus. Esophageal manometry demonstrated a lower mean amplitude of esophageal contractions in subjects in whom the capsule lodged with the 120 ml bolus and in the elderly subjects. We conclude that the esophageal transit time of a gelatin capsule is related to the volume of fluid chaser. Our findings that a lower amplitude of esophageal contractions was associated with elderly patients and those in whom the capsule lodged with the large fluid bolus are worthy of further investigation.

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