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Is Increase In Thickness Of Endometrial Lining A Cause For Concern?
Question: Hi,
I recently had a transvaginal ultrasound and the nurse stated that the doctor wanted to know where I had been in terms of my last period. The nurse also said the Dr expressed concern on the thickness of my lining. Why would a thick lining cause concern?
I recently had a transvaginal ultrasound and the nurse stated that the doctor wanted to know where I had been in terms of my last period. The nurse also said the Dr expressed concern on the thickness of my lining. Why would a thick lining cause concern?
Brief Answer:
Explained in detail.
Detailed Answer:
Hello
Thanks for writing to us with your health concern.
Well, let me explain.
When your period starts, and you bleed, you shed the lining of your uterus.
Then during the course of the month, the lining gradually thickens, it grows ( proliferates ) .
Around ovulation, if you conceive, the lining is thick enough in preparation to receive the pregnancy.
The lining is at its thickest just before your period.
When you menstruate, if you have not conceived, this lining again gets shed off.
The process gets repeated every month.
So, a lining that is normal just before your periods, would not be normal, if it is that thick during your periods or just after you have bled.
Also there are cut off levels for lining thickness.
Thickness beyond a certain level indicates a disease process, or early uterine cancer.
Most of the times it is brought on by transient hormonal imbalances, or a polyp.
I need to know the details of the scan to tell you what is exactly the case.
please upload the scan report if possible.
Also, let me know why you had the scan done, what symptoms did you have ?
All the best
Please feel free to discuss further.
Explained in detail.
Detailed Answer:
Hello
Thanks for writing to us with your health concern.
Well, let me explain.
When your period starts, and you bleed, you shed the lining of your uterus.
Then during the course of the month, the lining gradually thickens, it grows ( proliferates ) .
Around ovulation, if you conceive, the lining is thick enough in preparation to receive the pregnancy.
The lining is at its thickest just before your period.
When you menstruate, if you have not conceived, this lining again gets shed off.
The process gets repeated every month.
So, a lining that is normal just before your periods, would not be normal, if it is that thick during your periods or just after you have bled.
Also there are cut off levels for lining thickness.
Thickness beyond a certain level indicates a disease process, or early uterine cancer.
Most of the times it is brought on by transient hormonal imbalances, or a polyp.
I need to know the details of the scan to tell you what is exactly the case.
please upload the scan report if possible.
Also, let me know why you had the scan done, what symptoms did you have ?
All the best
Please feel free to discuss further.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thank you for such a detailed response. I have had pain associated with what feels like my ovaries as well as an occasional shooting pain coming from my cervix. I asked for an ultrasound at my check up so I could be sure nothing was wrong. I have had, over this past year a change in my period. I have noticed that it has become brighter and has a much more watery consistency. It doesn't last more than a few days, where as before I would have had it for a week. My pap smear came back normal...my thyroid was normal...
I don't have any specifics from my results.
The tech did mention during the ultrasound that I seemed to have a double layer of lining. She was definitely measuring each section individually..but that is just an observation. I am kind of just playing the waiting game for Monday to come around, and hopefully a returned phone call from the nurse
I don't have any specifics from my results.
The tech did mention during the ultrasound that I seemed to have a double layer of lining. She was definitely measuring each section individually..but that is just an observation. I am kind of just playing the waiting game for Monday to come around, and hopefully a returned phone call from the nurse
Brief Answer:
What cycle day was it ?
Detailed Answer:
Thank you for the update.
What cycle day was this scan done on ?
What cycle day was it ?
Detailed Answer:
Thank you for the update.
What cycle day was this scan done on ?
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Well, I am not exactly sure. The exam was 5 days ago, and I should be getting my period sometime this upcoming week. I thought I was ovulating two weeks ago because of the change in my mucus. Which would mean I should have had my period this weekend, but I didn't. In fact, I don't have the usual change in mucus that let's me know my period is imminent.
Brief Answer:
Further explained.
Detailed Answer:
Well, in any case, the exam was done close to your period, or midcycle.
That means the lining would have been thick, quite thick in fact .
This is normally called a double lining.
It is just a terminology.
Then the endometrium becomes triple layer / triple lining ( thickest ) .
This is another terminology, because as per the thickness of the lining, it appears as a single line, a double line or a triple line, at its thickest.
So one cannot infer much based on the double layer lining.
Sometimes the two parts are measured separately, it is a variant of a normal finding based on the time of the menstrual period.
As I told you, till we have the scan in hand, we are in the realm of speculation !
Further explained.
Detailed Answer:
Well, in any case, the exam was done close to your period, or midcycle.
That means the lining would have been thick, quite thick in fact .
This is normally called a double lining.
It is just a terminology.
Then the endometrium becomes triple layer / triple lining ( thickest ) .
This is another terminology, because as per the thickness of the lining, it appears as a single line, a double line or a triple line, at its thickest.
So one cannot infer much based on the double layer lining.
Sometimes the two parts are measured separately, it is a variant of a normal finding based on the time of the menstrual period.
As I told you, till we have the scan in hand, we are in the realm of speculation !
Note: Revert back with your gynae reports to get a clear medical analysis by our expert Gynecologic Oncologist. Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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