Virtual Hysterosalpingography: Its Place in the Workup of Infertile Women

Excerpt

Women with infertility are faced with the possibility of undergoing several tests. Among these are those which rule out uterine and tubal factors contributing to infertility. The gold standard for years has been hysteroscopy and laparoscopic chromotubation [1, 2]. These two endoscopic modalities have been the mainstay in confirming pathology of a woman’s genital organs. Benefits include actual visualization of organs and the ability to proceed with a surgery if need to be. However, need for anesthesia and operating room costs and risks make hysterolaparoscopy out of reach for some in developing countries. In comparison, hysterosalpingography (HSG) has variable sensitivity and predictive values [3‐5]. Drawbacks include its exposure to radiation and patient discomfort. In the past years, reports have been put to print on the role of virtual HSG [6‐8]. Carrascosa et al. have fervently promoted virtual HSG as one that provides ‘comprehensive and highly accurate evaluation of both the female reproductive system and pelvic anatomy.’ However, radiation dose was a concern highlighted by them in their article. The procedure of a virtual HSG is given below and is followed by a discussion on whether this test is advisable in the workup of a woman with infertility. …