Laboratory Diagnosis and Differential Diagnosis of Polycystic Ovarian Disease

Abstract

The introduction of radioimmunoassays in clinical medicine has opened new approaches in the understanding of disease processes and in diagnosis. Similarly, rapid advances in computerized tomography and ultrasonography have aided the physician in the diagnosis of patients who present with hirsutism, anovulatory states, amenorrhea, dysfunctional uterine bleeding, galactorrhea and a variety of other clinical signs which may suggest polycystic ovarian or other endocrine disease states. It is the purpose of this chapter to outline a laboratory approach and differential diagnosis of PCOD, which will be helpful in evaluating the endocrine factors responsible for the patient’s complaints.