To explore correlation of serum β-human chorionic gonadotropin (β-hCG) and color Doppler flow imaging (CDFI) in ectopic pregnancy (EP), and monitoring value of color Doppler flow imaging in the drug conservative treatment of ectopic pregnancy.

From October 2004 to February 2006, 90 ectopic pregnancy patients who were diagnosed in the First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University were recruited in this study. Among them, 74 patients were received drug conservative treatment (chemotherapy) plus intensification therapy successfully, and 16 were received surgery after the failure of drug conservative treatment. All the cases did serum β-human chorionic gonadotropin and colour Doppler flow imaging before and after drug conservative treatment to observe their correlation. The study protocol was approved by Ethical Review Board of Investigation in Human Being of First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan university. Informed consent was obtained from all participants.

Before the treatment, positive correlation were found between serum β-human chorionic gonadotropin value and color Doppler flow imaging (P=0.000). The success of conservative treatment was related with color Doppler flow imaging.

Serum β-human chorionic gonadotropin value and color Doppler flow imaging are two important index to detect trophocyte viability. Because of specificity of serum β-human chorionic gonadotropin values and its longer half-life, color Doppler flow imaging could be a routine assistant monitoring method to estimate immediate results of conservative treatment.