Connie Rees

186 Results of individual studies An overview of the study characteristics and a summary of the extracted data is included in Table 7.3. A summary of study findings per uterine contraction feature and uterine abnormality is shown in Table 7.4. Table 7.4: Summary of Uterine Contractility Measurement Tools used in Included Studies Measurement Method Contraction Features Assessed Studies Used Cine MRI Subjective visualisation of contractions in the junctional zone of the uterus on 2D MRI Frequency, Direction (245–252) IUP Catheter Intra-uterine catheter with sensors at different points Frequency, Amplitude, Direction (253–256) HSSG Visualisation of displacement of vaginally administered radio-isotope over time using scintigraphy imaging Direction (219) TVUS Subjective visualisation of contractions in the junctional zone of the uterus on 2D ultrasound Frequency, Direction (219,232,257) Leiomyomas and uterine peristalsis Five out of six included studies investigating uterine contractility in leiomyoma patients used cine MRI, with one study investigating uterine contractility using an IUP catheter. Presence of uterine contractions In a case-control study by Orisaka et al. (2007), in all patients with leiomyomas (n= 19) and healthy controls (n= 3) uterine contractions were observed (252). Their conclusion that leiomyomas have no influence on the presence of uterine contractions was not confirmed by studies by Yoshino and Kido (246,249). Yoshino observed in a prospective study , an increased presence of uterine contractions in patients with leiomyomas (n= 15) during the midluteal phase (249). In the study by Kido et al fewer patients with leiomyomas (n= 20) showed uterine contractions compared to healthy controls (n=20) during the periovulatory phase (246). Nishino et al. (2005) reported that presence of uterine contractions may be correlated to the subtype of leiomyomas: patients with intramural leiomyomas (n=26) universally presented uterine peristalsis, whereas this was not seen in patients with submucosal leiomyoma’s (250). Four controlled-prospective studies

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