The role of functional imaging of the female reproductive system
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Investigating the role of functional imaging of the female reproductive system
IRAS ID
319299
Contact name
Channa Jayasena
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Imperial College London and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 0 months, 0 days
Research summary
Most women will have problems with their periods in their lifetime. Period problems can reduce quality of life and cause women to require time off work/school. Period problems can also reduce fertility in some cases. Why some women have these problems is not always clear and so often they will receive medication or hormones to hide their symptoms rather than treat the underlying cause. We want to learn more about why these problems occur to help plan better treatments. The cells that line the womb (endometrium) are important for the regulation of the menstrual cycle and ability to fall pregnant. Standard ultrasound scans are safe and used routinely in the investigation of women’s health problems but they provide limited information about the endometrium. Contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS), in routine clinical use for the investigation of liver disease, is an emerging test that tracks the flow of micro-bubbles within the blood stream. The endometrium is supplied by a dense network of blood vessels which change throughout the menstrual cycle. As such, CEUS may be able to provide more information about the function of the endometrium. The study is in 3 parts:
Part 1: To see if CEUS can detect the changes within the endometrium that we know occur throughout the normal menstrual cycle
Part 2: To see if CEUS can detect the changes within the endometrium that we know occur when women start using contraception and/or hormone replacement therapy (HRT)
Part 3: To see if CEUS can detect differences in the endometrium in women who have period or fertility problems compared to those who don’t. Specifically we plan to look at women who have either heavy periods (menorrhagia), overgrowth of the lining of the womb (endometrial hyperplasia) or previous problems with the unborn baby attaching to the womb lining (implantation failure).
REC name
London - West London & GTAC Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
22/PR/1303
Date of REC Opinion
5 Jan 2023
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion