ABSTRACT
Background: Sonosalpingography has been suggested as the first-line method to study tubal patency. This study is to bring into focus the value of pelvic sonogram in accessing tubal patency in order to overcome the radiation hazard associated with hysterosalpingogram reduce the cost of examination and encourage it at first-line office. Objective of this study was to compare the diagnostic efficacy of sonosalpingogram, hysterosalpingography and diagnostic laparoscopy for tubal patency as a cause for female infertility.Methods: It is a prospective study in 100 patients attending for evaluation of infertility for a period of 2 years were chosen for this study. All cases with primary and secondary infertility who have attended infertility clinic for tubal causes.Results: 68 cases were found to have bilateral patency as per SSG while 58 cases had bilateral patency as HSG. Similarly 24 cases had bilateral block as per SSG while 28 cases had bilateral block as per HSG. 8 cases had unilateral block as per SSG while 14 cases had unilateral block as per HSG. This difference in observations may probably attribute to tubal spasm in HSG. Bilateral patency was observed in 68 cases as against 64 cases in laparoscopy. Out of these 68 cases 9 cases were false positive as bilaterally patent. However bilateral blocks were shown to be 24 in both methods. Out of 12 cases of unilateral block as per laparoscopy 8 cases were detected by SSG. There was false negative rate of 5%. There was false negative rate of 10% for tubal patency with HSG.Conclusions: For low risk subjects for tubal factors in infertility, sonosalpingogram can be employed as a screening test of choice and for high risk subjects HSG and laparoscopy can be used.