Endometrial hyperplasia is an overgrowth of the cells lining the uterus, resulting in a thicker-than-normal endometrium. It is most commonly caused by excess estrogen without adequate progesterone, as can occur with obesity, polycystic ovarian syndrome, or hormone replacement therapy. On transvaginal ultrasound, endometrial hyperplasia appears as a thickened, sometimes heterogeneous endometrial stripe, and it cannot be reliably distinguished from endometrial polyps or early cancer by ultrasound alone. When a postmenopausal woman presents with vaginal bleeding and an abnormally thick endometrium, or when a premenopausal woman has persistent abnormal bleeding, endometrial biopsy is recommended to determine whether hyperplasia is present and whether it contains atypical cells that increase cancer risk.
Sonography Term