Ultrasonic assessment of the endometrium as a predictor of oestrogen status in amenorrhoeic patients.

Thirty consecutive amenorrhoeic patients were assessed with regard to the following: medical history, physical examination, pelvic ultrasonography, serum levels of 17-beta oestradiol (E2), other relevant serum hormones and the response to a progesterone challenge test. The results showed a correlation coefficient of 71% (P = 0.001) between the E2 levels and the endometrial width and of 52% (P = 0.03) between the testosterone levels and the E2 levels. Linear regression of endometrial width against E2 levels showed beta = 0.018 (R2 = 22%, P = 0.02). Patients with an endometrial width of 4 mm or less reported no bleeding or only scanty bleeding following progesterone and all the patients with an endometrial width of greater than 5 mm responded to progesterone with normal menstrual bleeding.