应用超声指标评估子宫内膜容受性研究进展*

2018-01-09 07:18钱林学
中国医学装备 2017年12期
关键词:多普勒胚胎内膜

李 玥 杨 宇 钱林学*

应用超声指标评估子宫内膜容受性研究进展*

李 玥①杨 宇①钱林学①*

目前,子宫内膜容受性(ER)评估是不孕症诊断治疗中的常规方向,已经成为临床上亟待解决的关键问题。ER的定义即子宫内膜接受胚胎的能力,从而引出了植入时间窗的概念。超声指标评价ER具有简单、安全、无创和可重复的优点,越来越被妇产科医生所重视,已经成为生殖医学上研究ER最广泛的影像学方法。为此,就超声形态学指标、血流有关指标、子宫收缩及子宫内膜蠕动波、子宫内膜造影四个方面对应用超声指标评估ER研究进展进行综述。

子宫内膜容受性;超声;不孕症;生殖医学

随着二胎政策的全面放开及人民生活的日益改善,许多高龄妇女希望再次生育,故对于辅助生殖技术的关注度越来越高。子宫内膜作为受精卵的种植部位,其容受性好坏对胚胎能否正常种植和供应后期的营养有至关重要的影响,因此子宫内膜容受性(endometrial receptivity,ER)成为生殖医学的热点问题。应用超声相关指标客观有效评估ER可以避免浪费胚胎和过高的经济支出,从而提高辅助生殖治疗的成功率。

1 子宫内膜形态学指标

1.1 子宫内膜厚度

子宫内膜厚度是学者首先考虑也是研究最多的影响ER的因素,一般认为受精卵在宫腔内种植的适宜子宫厚度为8~14 mm[1]。子宫内膜厚度通常通过二维超声检查从子宫内膜-子宫肌层连接的外边缘到子宫内膜最厚部分的外边缘的中间凹面中测量,但由于子宫内膜受激素的不断影响,在自然周期不断变化,排卵后仍然增加其厚度,揭示超声评估的确切日期对研究结果有很大的影响。因此,子宫内膜厚度的测量及其预测值最重要的是时机问题,多数研究者选择在排卵诱导日测量的厚度进行分析。Kehila等[2]研究发现,在诱导排卵前测量的总妊娠率和子宫内膜厚度之间的统计学显著关联,并认为如果子宫内膜厚度>12 mm,成功怀孕的概率将高出3倍。

临床上将较薄的子宫内膜称为薄型子宫,其通常指黄体中期(排卵后6~10 d)子宫内膜厚度<7 mm[3-4]。主要临床特征为个体月经周期正常,但月经量过少(<30 ml)。当子宫内膜厚度<6 mm时,妊娠的可能性急剧下降[5]。Kumbak等[6]研究认为,如果取卵日的子宫内膜厚度<7 mm,患者应当接受胚胎冻存,除非卵母细胞数目>5个,可用于胚胎移植的胚胎数≥3个。Casper[7]认为,子宫内膜过薄导致容受性差的原因与宫腔内氧分压过高有关,当子宫内膜厚度过薄时,植入的受精卵非常靠近螺旋动脉,而导致氧分压升高,不利于受精卵生长,同时也增加了自然流产的风险。

1.2 子宫内膜分型

应用超声对子宫内膜进行分型可以有效评价ER,通过内膜厚度这单一指标来评价ER显得过于武断,有些学者从其他方面来考量以获得更好的预测。Smith等[8]将子宫内膜分为三型:①A型,为三线征的内膜,其中内膜外层及宫腔线回声偏强,而两者之间的范围为低回声;②B型,为子宫内膜与周围肌层分界不清的等回声,而宫腔线回声较低;③C型,为子宫内膜均质强回声,宫腔线不明显。有学者发现子宫内膜分型对体外受精(in vitro fertilization,IVF)的成功十分重要,如果在IVF周期中穿刺取卵当日或前一日子宫内膜不是三线型,则胚胎不会发生着床或者着床率低[8]。

1.3 子宫内膜容积

子宫内膜厚度及分型均为二维水平的指标。Kovachev等[9]研究通过三维超声评估胚胎移植日子宫内膜体积的预测价值,发现体积<2 ml的植入成功率显著降低,而子宫内膜体积>2 ml可作为成功进行辅助生育治疗的阳性预测因子。Jarvela等[10]研究发现,成功受孕的妇女在接受人绒毛促性腺激素治疗后其子宫内膜体积显著减少,而那些未受孕的妇女无此类现象。

2 子宫内膜血流有关指标

2.1 子宫动脉有关指标

子宫动脉与妊娠的关系密不可分,Obimbo等[11]对妊娠妇女和非妊娠妇女的子宫动脉解剖发现,在怀孕期间子宫动脉管壁结构与管腔尺寸存在区域形态的变化,这一变化可以使子宫的供血增加,获得良好的妊娠结局。多普勒超声中测量子宫动脉的血流搏动指数(pulsatility index,PI)、阻力指数(resistance index,RI)及收缩期峰值速度(peak systolic velocity,PSV)可以很好反应子宫动脉的流速和波形变化,亦可作为评价子宫内膜的指标[12-13]。有学者采用受试者工作特征曲线(ROC曲线)对高龄不孕妇女(年龄≥40岁)的基础卵泡刺激素、窦卵泡数及PI进行研究分析得出结论,应用PI预测ER的CUT-OFF值为2,其灵敏度为75%,特异度为84%,阳性预测率为30%,阴性预测率为97%[14]。陈辉[15]对85例不孕症妇女和60名健康妇女的子宫动脉PSV、PI和RI进行比较,不孕症组的子宫动脉PSV比正常组降低,PI及RI较正常组增高,差异有统计学意义。

Engmann等[16]研究报道,子宫动脉血流的收缩期最大流速和舒张期末期流速的比值(S/D)、RI和PI不能单独用于预测ER。子宫动脉血流不能完全反映子宫内膜的血流,因此无法预测ER。

Wang等[17]研究结果显示,在IVF周期中妊娠和子宫动脉彩色多普勒成像参数无直接关系,而子宫螺旋动脉血流的S/D、PI和RI在成功妊娠妇女中显著降低。

2.2 螺旋动脉有关指标

ER受许多因素的影响,其中子宫螺旋动脉血流在ER中起着重要作用[18]。子宫螺旋动脉的PI、RI、S/D及PSV值偏高提示子宫内膜血流不够丰富,从而认为容受性较低[19]。当RI>0.72、PI>1.6及S/D>3.6时可能影响胚胎种植在宫腔内[20]。

Uysal等[21]对比了42例不明原因不孕患者与正常对照组的植入胚胎前子宫内膜螺旋动脉RI和PI值,对照组RI与PI值分别为0.48±0.08和0.65±0.18,研究组分别为0.54±0.07和0.80±0.16,两组间差异均有统计学意义。不明原因不孕不育患者在螺旋动脉血流阻力高,表明这些患者的周围血流量低于对正常人群。Zeng等[22]在排卵诱导日对于非多囊卵巢综合征女性不同体重指数(body mass index,BMI)亚组的螺旋动脉PI、RI及S/D值进行分析,BMI≥28的患者其PI值明显较BMI正常及偏低的患者升高,提示了肥胖影响了ER,从而对妊娠结局有负面影响。

2001年一项前瞻性的临床研究结论认为,应用子宫螺旋动脉的PI及PSV值均不能带来较高的胚胎种植率,虽然获得妊娠女性的PI值和PSV值分别为1.21±0.27及7.88±3.37,高于未孕女性的1.12±0.28及6.75±2.47,可能是螺旋动脉较纤细微弱难于测定有关系[20-23]。

2.3 子宫内膜血流及内膜下血流有关指标

虽然子宫动脉PI和RI指数通常被使用,但其不直接反映子宫内膜血流[24]。通过经阴道彩色多普勒超声评估子宫内膜及子宫内膜下血流分布模型与IVF治疗的植入率与妊娠率相关,形成了一套评分系统[25-26]。

一项前瞻性非随机观察性研究提示子宫内膜厚度≥7 mm后,165例进行冻融周期移植的患者通过二维超声评估子宫内膜及子宫内膜下血流情况,与B组(血流不存在组)相比,A组(血流存在组)临床妊娠率和植入率明显升高(31.49%和14.79%,分别为13.15%和6.52%)[27]。王锦惠等[28]研究提出,子宫内膜及内膜下血流不同分组间妊娠率有显著差异,妊娠组子宫内膜及内膜下PI、RI及S/D值均明显低于未妊娠组。李柳铭等[29]将患者分为A组(子宫内膜及内膜下都存在血流信号)、B组(内膜下存在血流但内膜不存在血流)及C组(内膜和内膜下均无血流通过),并随访IVF结局,三组的种植率与妊娠率依次显著降低。

Shrestha等[30]的研究比较了获得妊娠与未孕女性月经不同时期的子宫内膜血流情况,结论为无明显差异。此项研究样本量小且测量日并不能保证为月经周期的同一日,需要更大的回顾性研究证明这一观点。

2.4 三维及能量多普勒超声血流灌注指标

三维及能量多普勒超声的应用不仅包括评估子宫畸形、输卵管通畅性及卵泡监测,也越来越多地应用于ER的检测[31-32]。

Kupesic[33]通过三维能量多普勒超声评估了89名准备接受胚胎移植的女性,测量范围为子宫内膜下5 mm的区域。怀孕组与未孕组在子宫内膜血管指数(vascularization index,VI)和血管血流指数(vascularization flow index,VFI)之间无显著差异,子宫内膜血流指数(flow index,FI)在怀孕组明显较高。Schild[34]评估了96例接受IVF治疗的患者在三维能量多普勒超声下的子宫内膜下血流情况,妊娠组与非妊娠组相比,所有超声指数均显著降低,Logistic回归分析结论为:FI是预测ER最强的因素,但此研究未定义测量子宫内膜下的范围。一项前瞻性临床研究评估了54例接受IVF治疗的患者在排卵诱导日的内膜下血流情况,但未发现妊娠组和非妊娠组之间的VI和FI有何差异。然而,子宫内膜VFI在妊娠组显着高于对照组,最佳预测率为VFI>0.24[35]。

有些研究采用三维能量多普勒超声检测的子宫内膜和内膜下血流相关指标能否准确预测妊娠结果,结论为怀孕组的子宫内膜VI、FI和VFI值高于非怀孕组,相比之下子宫内膜下VI、FI和VFI值在组间无差异[36-37]。

Contart等[38]将子宫内膜及周围区域4个象限的血流情况分为4个等级,其研究结果显示,具有不同等级内膜血流的患者在其他条件相同的情况下临床结局并无差异。而一些文章也得出类似结论[3,39]。

3 子宫收缩及子宫内膜蠕动波

Kim等[40]分析了241例人工授精周期,发现妊娠与否与子宫内膜厚度及子宫内膜容积无关,但与子宫内膜运动有关,可通过收缩频率、运动强度、宫颈向宫底的运动方向和高回声的变化来预测临床结局。徐步芳等[41]研究发现,子宫内膜蠕动波的波形及频率与妊娠率关系密切,宫底向宫颈运动的波形及≥4次/min的频率与妊娠率呈负相关,提示子宫内膜蠕动波可以辅助综合评估ER。

4 超声子宫内膜造影

经静脉子宫内膜超声造影用于评价子宫内膜病变,尤其是子宫内膜癌的价值越来越被临床医生所认可,但在评价ER方面文献较为缺乏[42]。陈敏霞[43]研究报道,在增生晚期及排卵期对照组的内膜峰值强度、内膜下峰值强度及内膜下曲线下面积显著高于不明原因不孕组;在排卵期,对照组的内膜曲线下面积显著高于不明原因不孕组。同时,在增生晚期和排卵期,对照组的微血管密度均显著高于不明原因不孕组,子宫内膜造影与彩色多普勒超声在评估ER上更具有价值,而另一研究也证实此观点[44]。

综上所述,超声指标在评价子宫内膜容受性上的作用举足轻重,可协助生殖科医生更精准地预测患者的妊娠结局,指导治疗方案的应用。超声形态学指标、血流有关指标、子宫收缩及子宫内膜蠕动波、子宫内膜造影等因素均可作为临床上评价ER的指标,但国内外学者缺乏大样本量的随机对照研究证实,每种评价方法在ER评估上的孰轻孰重,尚无统一标准和评分体系衡量ER的高低。临床医生应结合患者病史综合分析以上超声指标来预测患者ER及临床结局。

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Research progress of application of ultrasound indicator in evaluating endometrial receptivity

/LI Yue, YANG Yu, QIAN Lin-xue

At present, the evaluation of endometrial receptivity (ER) is a routine research direction in the diagnosis and treatment of infertility, and it has been an key problem that have to be settled urgently in clinical practice. The definition of ER is the ability that endometrium receives embryo implantation, thereby the concept of implantation time windows was proposed. Ultrasound was applied to evaluate ER has series advantages included of convenience, safety, non-invasive and repeatability. Therefore, gynecologists has pay more and more attention to it and it has been the most extensive imaging method in reproductive medicine for studying of ER. This paper through applied ultrasound indicators to review the research progress of evaluating ER from four aspects included morphological index, relative index of blood flow,uterine contraction and endometrial peristaltic wave and endometrial angiography.

Endometrial receptivity; Ultrasound; Infertility; Reproductive medicine

Department of Ultrasound Medicine, Beijing Friendship Hospital of Capital Medical University, Beijing 100050, China.

李玥,女,(1991- ),硕士,医师。首都医科大学附属北京友谊医院超声科,从事超声诊断工作。

1672-8270(2017)12-0018-05

R714.8

A

10.3969/J.ISSN.1672-8270.2017.12.006

北京市优秀人才培养资助(2016000021469G228)“超声引导经皮微波消融对子宫腺肌病患者宫腔环境的影响”

①首都医科大学附属北京友谊医院超声科 北京 100050

*通讯作者:qianlinxue2002@163.com

//China Medical Equipment,2017,14(12):18-22.

2017-06-16

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