Color doppler ultrasonography in the earlier differentiation of benign molehydatidiforms from malignant gestational trophoblastic disease

Background. To find out the effectiveness of color doppler ultrasonography of the uterine arteries in the differentiation of benign molehydatidiforms from malignant gestational trophoblastic disease. Methods. Prospective study was performed in 32 women who were referred to the Oncology Department with the diagnosis of gestational trophoblastic disease. Uterine artery doppler studies were made and resistance index for both uterine arteries were calculated. In the followup, twelve of these patients required chemotherapy (first group) and 20 of them were treated with only suction curettage (second group). Non parametric Mann Whitney U test was used for the statistical analysis. Results. Median of the lowest uterine artery resistance index were 0.29 for the first group and 0.46 for the second group. Resistance index were significantly lower in the first group (alpha<0.001). Color doppler study of the uterine arteries is helpful in the differentiation of benign molehydatiforms from malignant gestational trophoblastic disease.