Determination of infused (13C)progesterone in ovarian arterial blood by selected ion monitoring

Abstract

Gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC/MS) with selected ion monitoring (SIM) is employed to detect and approximate the levels of (13C)progesterone is small blood samples obtained at intervals from ipsilateral and contralateral ovarian arteries and a peripheral vein before, during and after infusion into the utero-ovarian vein (five women during hysterectomy). The internal standard was 16 alpha-methylprogesterone. The method is rapid and allows the time course of the infused hormone to be plotted in spite of large and rapidly fluctuating concentrations of endogenous progesterone. The results show for the first time the local in vivo transfer of a steroid hormone from the uterine vein to the adjacent ovary in humans.