Ric6 12 d

Color Doppler ultrasound system (GE Voluson E8) with vaginal probe (RIC6-12-D) at the frequency of 5–8 MHz was used for ultrasound examination. Patients lied in a lithotomy position. The vaginal probe was wrapped with a condom, smeared with coupling agents, and then placed into the vagina. Measurement was done at the vaginal fornix.

All participants went through a detailed transvaginal ultrasound exam by a single physician. Both controls and PCOS subjects were scanned immediately after menstruation, day 2-day 6 of menses. In case of amenorrhea, PCOS women went through progesterone withdrawal, after urine beta HCG test. An exhaustive 2D and 3D imaging of bilateral ovaries was done using a 6–12 MHz transvaginal volume transducer (RIC6-12-D) on a GE Voluson E8 system. Highest possible magnification was used to scan the ovaries. Real time 2D scans in long axis of the ovary from inner to outer margin were taken to determine the largest plane and its transverse section. The total number of visible follicles (FNPO) measuring 2–3 mm in diameter was counted manually by continuous scanning of the entire ovary. The ovarian volume (OV) was calculated using the simplified formula for prolate ellipsoid (0.5 × length × width × thickness) (4 (link)). For the 3D imaging, the 3D power Doppler image data was acquired. Vocal and sono AVC software was used to generate the data related to ovarian stromal volume, blood flow and follicle counts.
The outcome measures included FNPO, OV, ovarian stromal volume, mean grey value of the ovary, volumetric ovarian vascular indices including vascularization index (VI), flow index (FI), and vascularization flow index (VFI) and Doppler indices of the main ovarian stromal vessels.