Ultrasound Features of Polycystic Ovaries and Syndrome X: A Pilot Study

The aim of this study was to determine whether ultrasound features of polycystic ovaries (PCO) are associated with Metabolic Syndrome (MetS), a condition linked with an increased risk of vascular events. A total of 66 women had ultrasound scans of their ovaries. There was no significant difference in the prevalence of MetS among women with unilateral or bilateral ultrasound evidence of PCO compared with women with no ultrasound evidence of PCO. The finding of PCO alone on ultrasound may be of no metabolic significance and a poor screening tool for cardiovascular risk. Resources should be shifted from the current emphasis on ultrasound diagnosis of PCO Syndrome to improved endocrine and metabolic characterisation and treatment. This approach may, in turn, identify those women at highest risk of vascular events.