Women with polycystic ovary syndrome have agreement in inter-ovarian follicle number in the diagnosis of polycystic ovary
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Background: Polycystic ovary (PCO) is diagnosed by meeting either the ovarian volume (OV) or follicle number per ovary (FNPO) criterion in any ovary. However, scanning a single ovary may detect fewer PCO. Aim: To compare OV and FNPO and assess their agreement in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Methods: This cross-sectional study included 100 women with newly diagnosed PCOS (ages 15–39 years) based on the revised 2003 Rotterdam criteria. In addition to clinical, hormonal, and biochemical data, ovarian ultrasonography (trans-abdominal/trans-vaginal: 60/40) was performed during the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle to measure OV and FNPO by an expert sonologist. Any OV >10 mL or FNPO ≥12 of 2-9 mm was considered PCO. Results: OV and FNPO were similar between the ovaries. PCO was significantly associated with higher total testosterone in both ovaries. The OV (ρ=0.5) and FNPO (ρ=0.7) between the ovaries correlated better than within the ovary. The Agreement between the ovaries and among the criteria was minimal to weak (κ=0.2-0.4). The FNPO criteria (κ=0.6) demonstrated clinically significant inter-ovarian agreement, which further improved when assessed with transvaginal sonography (κ =0.8). Conclusions: When pathology is present in one ovary, reporting the FNPO for the unaffected ovary may be acceptable for diagnosing PCO, especially when assessed transvaginally. [J Assoc Clin Endocrinol Diabetol Bangladesh, July 2026; 5 (2): e90272]
Language: English
Subfield: Reproductive Medicine
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W7202213653