Radionuclide hysterosalpingography for measurement of human oviductal function

Abstract A clinical method is described and claimed to evaluate the active transportation capacity of the luminal epithelium lining the human uterus and fallopian tube. After intracervical application of technetium-labelled human albumin spheres at 1–2 days before ovulation this radioactivity could be followed by gamma-camera when moved in ad ovarian direction. This method is called radionuclide hysterosalpingography (RN-HSG). The results were compared to the findings at normal hysterosalpingography (HSG). By use of this method it was possible to verify active passage in cases of tubal spasm at HSG, lack of transport in cases of normal patent oviducts at HSG as well as presence or absence of active transport through sactosalpinges with or without fimbrial passages to the abdominal cavity as seen at normal HSG. Congruent findings between HSG and RN-HSG was observed in 49%. The studied oviducts were found to be patent with normal HSG but lacked transportation capacity when studied by RN-HSG in 41%. The clinical use of this method is discussed in view of the selection of patients for different forms of in vitro fertilization and egg transfer (IVF-ET).