Automated assessment of ovarian follicles using a novel three-dimensional ultrasound software

Objective

To evaluate the accuracy, efficiency, and applicability of a new automated method of follicular assessment.

Design

Retrospective review of three-dimensional ultrasonographic ovarian volumes.

Setting

Academic center.

Patient(s)

Three-dimensional ovarian volumes from patients undergoing IVF.

Intervention(s)

Three-dimensional volumes of gonadotropin-stimulated ovaries and simulated ovarian follicles (SOFs) of known volume were evaluated with the new automated follicular assessment software (SonoAVC).

Main Outcome Measure(s)

[1] Maximum absolute error for the SonoAVC in assessing the volumes of the SOFs; [2] correlations between the automated and manual follicular measurements; [3] time required to analyze all of the follicles in a given ovarian volume.

Result(s)

The SOF of 4, 6, and 10 mm were evaluated. The SonoAVC's maximum absolute error for the volumes of the 4, 6, and 10 mm SOFs was 0 (0%), 0.01 (8.3%), and 0.02 (3.8%) cc, respectively. Three hundred forty-seven follicles, ranging in diameter from 2.3–32 mm, were evaluated. The correlation coefficient for the SonoAVC-generated relaxed follicular diameter and the manual measured mean follicular diameter was 0.99. The time required to analyze all of the follicles in a given ovarian volume for the automated and manual method was 133 versus 361 seconds, respectively.

Conclusion(s)

The SonoAVC proved to be a very accurate and efficient way to measure ovarian follicles. The measurements obtained by the SonoAVC correlated extremely well with the manual measurements we obtained.

Key Words: Three-dimensional ultrasound, follicular monitoring, follicular assessment, automated ultrasonography, controlled ovarian hyperstimulation, sonoAVC, IVF