Endometriomas: diagnostic performance of US

O-RADS US v2022: An Update from the American College of Radiology's Ovarian-Adnexal Reporting and Data System US Committee

First published in 2019, the Ovarian-Adnexal Reporting and Data System (O-RADS) US provides a standardized lexicon for ovarian and adnexal lesions, enables stratification of these lesions with use of a numeric score based on morphologic features to indicate the risk of malignancy, and offers management guidance. This risk stratification system has subsequently been validated in retrospective studies and has yielded good interreader concordance, even with users of different levels of expertise. As use of the system increased, it was recognized that an update was needed to address certain clinical challenges, clarify recommendations, and incorporate emerging data from validation studies. Additional morphologic features that favor benignity, such as the bilocular feature for cysts without solid components and shadowing for solid lesions with smooth contours, were added to O-RADS US for optimal risk-appropriate scoring. As O-RADS US 4 has been shown to be an appropriate cutoff for malignancy, it is now recommended that lower-risk O-RADS US 3 lesions be followed with US if not excised. For solid lesions and cystic lesions with solid components, further characterization with MRI is now emphasized as a supplemental evaluation method, as MRI may provide higher specificity. This statement summarizes the updates to the governing concepts, lexicon terminology and assessment categories, and management recommendations found in the 2022 version of O-RADS US.

Endometriosis: A multimodal imaging review

Endometriosis is a chronic inflammatory disorder characterized endometrial-like tissue present outside of the uterus, affecting approximately 10% of reproductive age women. It is associated with abdomino-pelvic pain, infertility and other non - gynecologic symptoms, making it a challenging diagnosis. Several guidelines have been developed by different international societies to diagnose and classify endometriosis, yet areas of controversy and uncertainty remains. Transvaginal ultrasound (TV-US) is the first-line imaging modality used to identify endometriosis due to its accessibility and cost-efficacy. Enhanced sonographic techniques are emerging as a dedicated technique to evaluate deep infiltrating endometriosis (DIE), depending on the expertise of the sonographer as well as the location of the lesions. MRI is an ideal complementary modality to ultrasonography for pre-operative planning as it allows for a larger field-of-view when required and it has high levels of reproducibility and tolerability. Typically, endometriotic lesions appear hypoechoic on ultrasonography. On MRI, classical features include DIE T2 hypointensity, endometrioma T2 hypointensity and T1 hyperintensity, while superficial peritoneal endometriosis (SPE) is described as a small focus of T1 hyperintensity. Imaging has become a critical tool in the diagnosis, surveillance and surgical planning of endometriosis. This literature review is based mostly on studies from the last two decades and aims to provide a detailed overview of the imaging features of endometriosis as well as the advances and usefulness of different imaging modalities for this condition.

Adnexal masses during pregnancy: diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis

Adnexal masses are identified in pregnant patients at a rate of 2 to 20 in 1000, approximately 2 to 20 times more frequently than in the age-matched general population. The most common types of adnexal masses in pregnancy requiring surgical management are dermoid cysts (32%), endometriomas (15%), functional cysts (12%), serous cystadenomas (11%), and mucinous cystadenomas (8%). Approximately 2% of adnexal masses in pregnancy are malignant. Although most adnexal masses in pregnancy can be safely observed and approximately 70% spontaneously resolve, a minority of cases warrant surgical intervention because of symptoms, risk of torsion, or suspicion of malignancy. Ultrasound is the mainstay of evaluation of adnexal masses in pregnancy because of accuracy, safety, and availability. Several ultrasound mass scoring systems, including the Sassone, Lerner, International Ovarian Tumor Analysis Simple Rules, and International Ovarian Tumor Analysis Assessment of Different NEoplasias in the adneXa scoring systems have been validated specifically in pregnant populations. Decisions regarding expectant vs surgical management of adnexal masses in pregnancy must balance the risks of torsion or malignancy with the likelihood of spontaneous resolution and the risks of surgery. Laparoscopic surgery is preferred over open surgery when possible because of consistently demonstrated shorter hospital length of stay and less postoperative pain and some data demonstrating shorter operative time, lower blood loss, and lower risks of fetal loss, preterm birth, and low birthweight. The best practices for laparoscopic surgery during pregnancy include left lateral decubitus positioning after the first trimester of pregnancy, port placement with respect to uterine size and pathology location, insufflation pressure of less than 12 to 15 mm Hg, intraoperative maternal capnography, pre- and postoperative fetal heart rate and contraction monitoring, and appropriate mechanical and chemical thromboprophylaxes. Although planning surgery for the second trimester of pregnancy generally affords time for mass resolution while optimizing visualization with regards to uterine size and pathology location, necessary surgery should not be delayed because of gestational age. When performed at a facility with appropriate obstetrical, anesthetic, and neonatal support, adnexal surgery in pregnancy generally results in excellent outcomes for pregnant patients and fetuses.

Imaging of Endometriosis: The Role of Ultrasound and Magnetic Resonance

Endometriosis is a chronic gynecological disease characterized by the growth of functional ectopic endometrial glands and stroma outside the uterus. It causes pelvic pain, dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, or infertility. Diagnosis requires a combination of clinical history, non-invasive and invasive techniques. The aim of the present review was to evaluate the contribution of imaging techniques, mainly transvaginal sonography and magnetic resonance imaging to diagnose different locations and for the most appropriate treatment planning. Endometriosis requires a multidisciplinary teamwork to manage these patients clinically and surgically.

Endometriosis and adverse pregnancy outcome

INTRODUCTION

Endometriosis is a gynecologic disease affecting approximately 10% of reproductive age women, around 21-47% of women presenting subfertility and 71-87% of women with chronic pelvic pain. Main symptoms are chronic pelvic pain, dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia and infertility that seem to be well controlled by oral contraceptive pill, progestogens, GnRh antagonists. The aim of this review was to illustrate the modern diagnosis of endometriosis during pregnancy, to evaluate the evolution of endometriotic lesions during pregnancy and the incidence of adverse outcomes.

EVIDENCE ACQUISITION

Published literature was retrieved through searches of the database PubMed (National Center for Biotechnology Information, US National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, MD, USA). We searched for all original articles published in English through April 2020 and decided to extract every notable information for potential inclusion in this review. The search included the following MeSH search terms, alone or in combination: "endometriosis" combined with "endometrioma," "biomarkers," "complications," "bowel," "urinary tract," "uterine rupture," "spontaneous hemoperitoneum in pregnancy" and more "adverse pregnancy outcome," "preterm birth," "miscarriage," "abruption placentae," "placenta previa," "hypertensive disorder," "preeclampsia," "fetal grow restriction," "small for gestation age," "cesarean delivery."

EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS

Pregnancy in women with endometriosis does not always lead to disappearance of symptoms and decrease in the size of endometriotic lesions, but it may be possible to observe a malignant transformation of ovarian endometriotic lesions. Onset of complications may be caused by many factors: chronic inflammation, adhesions, progesterone resistance and a dysregulation of genes involved in the embryo implantation. As results, the pregnancy can be more difficult because of endometriosis related complications (spontaneous hemoperitoneum [SH], bowel complications, etc.) or adverse outcomes like preterm birth, FGR, hypertensive disorders, obstetrics hemorrhages (placenta previa, abruptio placenta), miscarriage or cesarean section. Due to insufficient knowledge about its pathogenesis, currently literature data are contradictory and do not show a strong correlation between endometriosis and these complications except for miscarriage and cesarean delivery.

CONCLUSIONS

Future research should focus on the potential biological pathways underlying these relationships in order to inform patients planning a birth about possible complications during pregnancy.

Indirect and atypical imaging signals of endometriosis: A wide range of manifestations

Background

Whilst some imaging signs of endometriosis are common and widely accepted as ‘typical’, a range of ‘subtle’ signs could be present in imaging studies, presenting an opportunity to the radiologist and the surgeon to aid the diagnosis and facilitate preoperative surgical planning.

Objective

To summarise and analyse the current information related to indirect and atypical signs of endometriosis by ultrasound (US) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Methods

Through the use of PubMed and Google scholar, we conducted a comprehensive review of available articles related to the diagnosis of indirect signs in transvaginal US and MRI. All abstracts were assessed and the studies were finally selected by two authors.

Results

Transvaginal US is a real time dynamic exploration, that can reach a sensitivity of 79-94% and specificity of 94%. It allows evaluation of normal sliding between structures in different compartments, searching for adhesions or fibrosis.

MRI is an excellent tool that can reach a sensitivity of 94% and specificity of 77% and allows visualisation of the uterus, bowel loop deviation and peritoneal inclusion cysts. It also allows the categorisation and classification of ovarian cysts, rectovaginal and vesicovaginal septum obliteration, and small bowel endometriotic implants.

Conclusion

The use of an adequate mapping protocol with systematic evaluation and the reporting of direct and indirect signs of endometriosis is crucial for detailed and safe surgical planning.

Identifying the deceiver: the non-neoplastic mimickers of genital system neoplasms

Tumors of the genital system are common and imaging is of crucial importance for their detection and diagnosis. Several non-neoplastic diseases may mimic these tumors and differential diagnosis may be difficult in certain cases. Misdiagnosing non-neoplastic diseases as tumor may prompt unnecessary medical treatment or surgical interventions. In this article, we aimed to present the imaging characteristics of non-neoplastic diseases of the male and female genital systems that may mimic neoplastic processes. Increasing awareness of the imaging specialists to these entities may have a severe positive impact on the management of these patients.

Ultrasonography in the Differentiation of Endometriomas from Hemorrhagic Ovarian Cysts: The Role of Texture Analysis

The ultrasonographic (US) features of endometriomas and hemorrhagic ovarian cysts (HOCs) are often overlapping. With the emergence of new computer-aided diagnosis techniques, this is the first study to investigate whether texture analysis (TA) could improve the discrimination between the two lesions in comparison with classic US evaluation. Fifty-six ovarian cysts (endometriomas, 30; HOCs, 26) were retrospectively included. Four classic US features of endometriomas (low-level internal echoes, perceptible walls, no solid components, and less than five locules) and 275 texture parameters were assessed for every lesion, and the ability to identify endometriomas was evaluated through univariate, multivariate, and receiver operating characteristics analyses. The sensitivity (Se) and specificity (Sp) were calculated with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The texture model, consisting of seven independent predictors (five variations of difference of variance, image contrast, and the 10th percentile; 100% Se and 100% Sp), was able to outperform the ultrasound model composed of three independent features (low-level internal echoes, perceptible walls, and less than five locules; 74.19% Se and 84.62% Sp) in the diagnosis of endometriomas. The TA showed statistically significant differences between the groups and high diagnostic value, but it remains unclear if the textures reflect the intrinsic histological characteristics of the two lesions.

Imaging for evaluation of endometriosis and adenomyosis

Endometriosis and adenomyosis are two frequent diseases that impair women's quality of life by causing pain and infertility. Both endometriosis and adenomyosis are heterogeneous diseases that manifest as different forms. Adenomyosis may be described as diffuse adenomyosis, focal adenomyosis especially of the outer myometrium and cystic adenomyoma. Endometriosis has three phenotypes: superficial peritoneal endometriosis (SUP), ovarian endometrioma (OMA), and deep infiltrating endometriosis (DIE). These two diseases are closely linked, and it is now clear that adenomyosis can either arise on its own or coexist with endometriosis. There is a strong clinical relationship between endometriosis and adenomyosis according to their respective phenotypes. Various classifications are available to describe both diseases. Transvaginal ultrasonography (TVUS) and/or pelvic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are the first examination performed when endometriosis or adenomyosis are suspected. These two imaging techniques, used in a combination manner, allow accurate description of both endometriosis and adenomyosis, to assess the diagnosis and to improve clinical and surgical care. In this review, we described the different imaging aspects of endometriosis and adenomyosis to help the less experienced radiologist or gynecologist in the diagnosis and evaluation of those diseases.

Algorithmic Approach to Sonography of Adnexal Masses: An Evolving Paradigm

BACKGROUND

Pelvic US remains the workhorse for detection and characterization of adnexal masses in most centers worldwide. While the differentiation of benign from malignant masses remains the foremost concern, it is imperative to narrow the differential diagnosis for management of benign masses as well as prognostication of malignant masses. The IOTA group as well as ACR have described a five category classification system for adnexal lesions based on morphological patterns. In addition, a six category risk stratification has been proposed, incorporating the probability of malignancy as well as management recommendations.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

1) Understand pattern based approach to adnexal lesion classification and the possible entities fitting into each pattern with the help of illustrations. 2) Classify lesions into appropriate risk categories based on diagnostic algorithms provided at the end of each section.

Genitourinary manifestations of endometriosis with emphasis on the urinary tract

Endometriosis is a common benign condition affecting women. The disease has a broad spectrum of presentations from incidental lesions in asymptomatic women to causing significant and debilitating morbidity in others. Ectopic endometrial glands are located in predictable locations throughout the pelvis, including implantation on the ovaries and in the rectouterine cul-de-sac. Less commonly, the urinary tract may be involved. As genitourinary manifestations may remain symptomatically occult or masquerade as other diagnoses, it is essential for the radiologist to be aware of the imaging features, consider this diagnosis, and potentially save the patient from delayed treatment.

Endometriosis in pregnancy

Endometriosis constitutes the presence of ectopic endometrial glands and stroma outside the uterine endometrium, which is hormonally responsive and responds to pregnancy hormones as well. Decidualization is a physiologic process, where the normal endometrium readies itself for optimal accommodation of a pregnancy. A similar hormonal response can be seen with ectopic endometrium as well. As such, ovarian endometriomas and deep endometriosis implants can undergo decidualization. Overall, the progestational state of pregnancy favors an improvement in endometriosis, however, decidualization can lead to findings that can lead to increased size of endometriomas and deep infiltrative endometriosis implants, changes in imaging appearance and even complications, such as spontaneous hemoperitoneum in pregnancy. Awareness of this process can help prevent misdiagnosis of decidualized endometriomas as ovarian malignancy and recognize common imaging manifestations of hormonal effects of pregnancy on endometriosis.

Transvaginal US of Endometriosis: Looking Beyond the Endometrioma with a Dedicated Protocol

Transvaginal sonography (TVS) is a valuable primary imaging tool for the initial evaluation and management of endometriosis, a complex multifocal disease process with a varied spectrum of clinical and morphologic features that can substantially affect quality of life. The high accuracy of TVS for the detailed mapping of disease extent, an essential process for guiding treatment strategies, is well documented. The dynamic nature of US provides added value, revealing information that is not easily addressed with other imaging modalities. As recognized by the International Deep Endometriosis Analysis Consensus Group, a dedicated standardized protocol that is used by experienced and knowledgeable operators is necessary for a complete evaluation. The four components of a dedicated TVS protocol for evaluation of pelvic endometriosis are (a) evaluation of the uterus and adnexa, (b) dedicated search for deep infiltrating endometriosis, (c) assessment of the sliding sign, and (d) detection of sonographic soft markers. These components are described, and the multiple locations and US findings of endometriosis within the pelvis are reviewed, with emphasis on the unique features of US as an extension of the physical examination. In addition to enabling evaluation of the static findings of adenomyosis, endometrioma, hydrosalpinx, hematosalpinx, and hypoechoic nodules of deep infiltrating endometriosis, dynamic TVS enables assessment of pouch of Douglas obliteration, organ mobility, and site-specific tenderness, as well as tenderness-guided imaging. The benefits of implementing a dedicated TVS protocol in terms of improved patient care are also discussed. Online supplemental material is available for this article. ^©RSNA, 2019.

Clinical management of endometriosis

Endometriosis is a disease of reproductive age women that is commonly characterized by symptoms that often negatively impact quality of life. The clinical management of endometriosis remains highly variable and mostly influenced by geographic location, practice patterns, and breadth of clinician experience. This variability in treatment has inspired a trend towards multidisciplinary and specialized care of patients suffering from this disease. Surgical sampling, followed by histologic confirmation of endometrial-like tissue, remains the standard for the definitive diagnosis of endometriosis. However, the high sensitivity and specificity of MRI and ultrasound has shed light on the path towards non-surgical diagnosis of deep infiltrating endometriosis. Molecular variability and intricacy of this disease has limited the development of biologic markers to target for non-invasive diagnosis and pharmacologic therapies. Surgical management of advanced-stage endometriosis can be difficult, mostly secondary to the invasive nature of the disease, and anatomical distortion requiring advanced surgical skills to manage. The high prevalence of chronic pelvic pain and other complex pain syndromes in patients with endometriosis also requires knowledge in the management of these types of issues in order to provide comprehensive care. Menopausal endometriosis, extrapelvic presentation, and potential malignant transformation of lesions are infrequent, requiring a high index of suspicion for timely diagnosis and treatment.

ACR Appropriateness Criteria® Female Infertility

The most common known causes of female infertility are male factor (26%), ovulatory failure (21%), and tubal damage (14%), while in 28% a couple's infertility remains unexplained. Female-specific causes of infertility include deterioration of oocyte quality with increasing maternal age; ovulatory disorders, most notably polycystic ovarian syndrome; history of salpingitis such as that caused by chlamydia infection; endometriosis; and uterine cavity abnormalities interfering with implantation causing inability to become pregnant or causing recurrent pregnancy loss. These potential causes of female infertility are discussed in this document and the appropriate imaging recommendations for each variant are provided. The American College of Radiology Appropriateness Criteria are evidence-based guidelines for specific clinical conditions that are reviewed annually by a multidisciplinary expert panel. The guideline development and revision include an extensive analysis of current medical literature from peer reviewed journals and the application of well-established methodologies (RAND/UCLA Appropriateness Method and Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation or GRADE) to rate the appropriateness of imaging and treatment procedures for specific clinical scenarios. In those instances where evidence is lacking or equivocal, expert opinion may supplement the available evidence to recommend imaging or treatment.

Applying the vaginal approach for benign ovarian cystectomy: current evidence and future applications

Vaginal ovarian cystectomy has not gained wide acceptance owing to the potential difficulty in entering the cul-de-sac. We review the current evidence on vaginal approaches to benign ovarian cysts. Outcome measures of interest included time to return to work, patient satisfaction, surgical complications and length of hospital stay. Ten studies were included in this review and involving 525 patients. Vaginal ovarian cystectomy is overall safe and feasible in appropriately selected cases with no evidence of intrapelvic adhesions or endometriosis. These findings will need to be validated in appropriately powered studies, before reliable conclusions can be drawn. Furthermore, we emphasize the importance of ultrasound both preoperatively for case selection optimization and intraoperatively, as a means of guidance during posterior culdotomy.

The management of benign ovarian cysts through the vagina (VOC) has not gained wide acceptance by gynecologists worldwide owing to the potential difficulty in accessing the pelvic organs through an incision at the top of the vagina that may cause injury to adjacent structures such as the rectum. This is a review of the literature on the effectiveness of VOC. Various techniques have been described. Overall, VOC is safe and effective in appropriately selected cases. Larger studies will need to be conducted to validate these results. We also emphasize the importance of ultrasound both preoperatively as a tool to select the right patients for VOC as well as during surgery as an adjunct to guide the surgeon.

Effects of laparoscopic cystectomy on ovarian reserve in patients with endometrioma and dermoid cyst

Objective:

To compare the effects of laparoscopic cystectomy on ovarian reserve between women with endometrioma and dermoid cyst.

Materials and Methods:

Thirty-six patients were diagnosed as having endometrioma (group A) and 32 patients with dermoid cyst (group B) using ultrasonography. Preoperative anti-mullerian hormone (AMH) levels were measured and unilateral antral follicle counts (AFC) were calculated for the ovary side containing the cyst. Laparoscopic cystectomy was performed using the stripping technique for all participants. After 3 months, all participants were re-evaluated between the third and sixth day of their menstrual cycle to determine AFC and AMH levels.

Results:

The mean serum preoperative AMH level and AFC level were significantly lower in group A than in group B (p=0.001, p=0.002), respectively. At 3 months after the surgery, serum AMH levels decreased significantly in group A from 2.04±0.68 to 1.47±0.55 (p=0.001), and from 2.60±0.57 to 2.17±0.56 in group B (p=0.001). In group A, unilateral (operated side) AFC levels decreased significantly from 4.05±1.24 to 2.16±0.94 (p=0.001), and in group B, it decreased significantly from 4.93±0.94 to 3.40±0.87 (p=0.001). The decrease in AMH levels was significantly higher in group A than in group B (p=0.033). The decrease in AFC levels was also significantly higher in group A than in group B (p=0.044).

Conclusion:

Laparoscopic stripping has destructive effects on serum AMH levels and the operated side AFC levels after surgery for patients with endometrioma and dermoid cysts, and laparoscopic excision of endometrioma has more destructive effects on ovarian reserve than dermoid cysts.

Imaging of Benign Adnexal Disease

This article provides an overview of the imaging evaluation of benign ovarian and adnexal masses in premenopausal and postmenopausal women and lesions discovered during pregnancy. Current imaging techniques are discussed, including pitfalls and differential diagnosis when necessary, as well as management. It also reviews the now well-established American College of Radiology (ACR)/Society of Radiologists in Ultrasound consensus guidelines and covers the more recently introduced Ovarian-Adnexal Reporting and Data System by the ACR and the recently published ADNEx Scoring System.

O-RADS US Risk Stratification and Management System: A Consensus Guideline from the ACR Ovarian-Adnexal Reporting and Data System Committee

The Ovarian-Adnexal Reporting and Data System (O-RADS) US risk stratification and management system is designed to provide consistent interpretations, to decrease or eliminate ambiguity in US reports resulting in a higher probability of accuracy in assigning risk of malignancy to ovarian and other adnexal masses, and to provide a management recommendation for each risk category. It was developed by an international multidisciplinary committee sponsored by the American College of Radiology and applies the standardized reporting tool for US based on the 2018 published lexicon of the O-RADS US working group. For risk stratification, the O-RADS US system recommends six categories (O-RADS 0-5), incorporating the range of normal to high risk of malignancy. This unique system represents a collaboration between the pattern-based approach commonly used in North America and the widely used, European-based, algorithmic-style International Ovarian Tumor Analysis (IOTA) Assessment of Different Neoplasias in the Adnexa model system, a risk prediction model that has undergone successful prospective and external validation. The pattern approach relies on a subgroup of the most predictive descriptors in the lexicon based on a retrospective review of evidence prospectively obtained in the IOTA phase 1-3 prospective studies and other supporting studies that assist in differentiating management schemes in a variety of almost certainly benign lesions. With O-RADS US working group consensus, guidelines for management in the different risk categories are proposed. Both systems have been stratified to reach the same risk categories and management strategies regardless of which is initially used. At this time, O-RADS US is the only lexicon and classification system that encompasses all risk categories with their associated management schemes.

The effects of endometrioma size and bilaterality on ovarian reserve

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of endometrioma (OMAs) size and bilaterality on ovarian reserve. The patients with OMA were determined by ultrasonographic examination. Fifty patients with unilateral OMA (Group A), 30 patients with bilateral OMA (Group B), and 60 women without ovarian cysts (Group C) were included in this study. AMH levels were measured, and antral follicle count (AFC) was determined. The mean serum AMH levels were significantly lower in Group B than Groups C and A, and were significantly lower in Group A than Group C. There was a significant correlation between serum AMH level and OMA size in Group A (R = -.372, p = .008). OMAs per se appear to be associated with damage to the ovarian reserve. Increased OMA size is related to decreased AMH levels in patients with OMA. Bilateral OMAs have a more destructive effect on ovarian reserve.IMPACT STATEMENTWhat is already known on this subject? Previous Studies have demonstrated the effect of surgery on ovarian reserve but there have been contradictory findings reported about the effects of OMAs per se on serum AMH levels and it has not been clear what the relation between OMAs size and AMH levels is, if any.What the results of this study add? In this study, we found decreased AMH levels in patients with OMA. The results showed significant negative correlation between OMA size and AMH levels. The patients with bilateral OMAs had lower AMH levels than the unilateral ones.What the implications are of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? Increasing OMA size might be harmful to ovarian reserve. Further studies should be done to evaluate whether increasing the size of the OMA is associated with a progressive decline in ovarian reserve and to better clarify the role of the OMAs per se or of laparoscopic surgery in the determination of damage to the ovarian reserve.

The Sonographic Spectrum of Pelvic Endometriosis: Pearls, Pitfalls, and Mimics

Endometriosis is a common disease of reproductive-age women that is often first encountered with ultrasound. Therefore, familiarity with the variety of manifestations of endometriosis is important for appropriate diagnosis and management. The aim of this article is to review the spectrum of appearance of pelvic endometriosis and to discuss potential mimics on ultrasound. Given that magnetic resonance imaging is an important problem-solving tool in female pelvic imaging, magnetic resonance imaging correlation is also provided.

Ultrasound of Pelvic Pain in the Nonpregnant Woman

Pelvic ultrasound with endovaginal ultrasound is often the imaging test of choice in the initial evaluation of nonpregnant women with pelvic pain. This article considers the sonographic observations and techniques useful in diagnosis of a variety of gynecologic causes of pelvic pain in these women, including ovarian hemorrhage, ovarian torsion, pelvic inflammatory disease, endometriosis (particularly deeply infiltrating endometriosis), endometriomas, adenomyosis, pelvic congestion syndrome, and malpositioned intrauterine contraceptive devices. Sonographic observations regarding a number of non-gynecologic causes of pelvic pain are also described.

Usefulness of hematological parameters for differential diagnosis of endometriomas in adolescents/young adults and older women

BACKGROUND

Inflammatory processes have been considered to be involved in the pathogenesis of endometriosis. However, the predictive role of inflammatory hematological parameters in endometriosis is not clear. The aim of this study was to analyze the clinical value of hematologic markers in the differential diagnosis of endometriomas in younger and older reproductive age women.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A retrospective chart review was done for 502 patients who underwent surgery: 267 with endometriomas (endometrioma group) and 235 with other benign adnexal cysts (control group). Patients were placed into subgroups as younger (adolescents/young adults, aged <25 years) and older (aged ≥25 years) women. Total and differential white blood cell count, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, platelet indices and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) were evaluated with receiver operating characteristic curve analysis for differential diagnosis of endometriomas.

RESULTS

The mean serum levels of PLR, plateletcrit (PCT), platelet count and CA-125 (reference range below 35 IU/mL) were significantly higher in the endometrioma group (p < 0.001). The area under the curve (AUC) for CA-125 was 0.85 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.82-0.88] (p < 0.001) for the entire group. However, platelet count, PLR, and PCT showed poor discriminative ability for detecting endometriomas with AUC values of 0.59 (95% CI, 0.55-0.65, p < 0.001), 0.58 (95% CI, 0.53-0.63, p = 0.002) and 0.61 (95% CI, 0.56-0.66, p < 0.001), respectively. In age-stratified analysis, these platelet indices had also low diagnostic performance in both age groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Hematologic markers do not adequately differentiate ovarian endometriomas from other benign cysts in neither adolescents/young adults nor older women.

[Usefulness and reliability of abdominal point of care ultrasound in family practice (2): Large abdominal vessels, spleen, nephrourological and gynecological ultrasound]

This article is a continuation of the review initiated in the previous issue about the usefulness of point of care ultrasound in Primary Care, completing the scenarios of large abdominal vessels, spleen, nephrourological and gynecological ultrasound.

[Performances and place of sonography in the diagnostic of endometriosis: CNGOF-HAS Endometriosis Guidelines]

Endometriosis is difficult to diagnose clinically. Transvaginal sonography (TVS) is a procedure that is known to be operator-dependent, which mean that published evidences has to be balanced with the level of the sonographer that produced the data. The objective of this publication was to assess the performances of the sonography in the diagnosis of endometriosis in order to establish the French national recommendations. We searched the MEDLINE database for publication from January 2000 to September 2017 using keywords associated with endometriosis and sonography. Eighty-four trial and reviews published in English or French were included. Ovarian endometrioma can usually be diagnosed by a non-expert sonographer, especially when its aspect is typical. In case of an ovarian cyst with atypical presentation, it is recommended to control the sonography by a referent or to perform an MRI. In menopaused women, any ovarian cyst should be considered as a cancer until proven otherwise. In the diagnosis of posterior deep invasive endometriosis (DIE), TVS with sensitivity and specificity of 96 and 99% respectively, seems at least equivalent if not superior to MRI. However, these performances are related to expert sonographers. To reach sufficient efficiency in posterior DIE, the estimated learning curve for a sonographer is 44 cases. When posterior DIE is suspected, we recommend proposing a TVS "performed by an expert" or a MRI "at least interpreted by an expert". In anterior DIE, TVS has a good specificity (100%), but its sensitivity is poor in the literature (64%). TVS is therefore not able to eliminate the diagnosis. However a renal ultrasound should be proposed each time a urinary endometriosis is confirmed, and should be considered whenever posterior DIE is diagnosed especially the lesion is superior to 3cm.

Emergent ultrasound evaluation of the pediatric female pelvis

Ultrasound is the primary imaging modality of the pediatric female pelvis and is often requested to evaluate girls with pelvic or abdominal pain or abnormal bleeding. The US interpretation can help guide the clinician toward medical or surgical management. Here we discuss the normal US anatomy of the female pelvis and illustrate, through case examples, conditions encountered when performing emergent pelvic US for common and uncommon clinical scenarios.

Susceptibility Weighted With Quantitative Phase Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Differentiation of Various Stages of Hemorrhage and Calcification in Female Pelvic Pathologies: A Preliminary Study

BACKGROUND

The purposes of this study were to assess the value of phase for characterization of female pelvic lesions with hemorrhage in various stages and to differentiate them from calcified lesions at 3.0-T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

METHODS

Forty-four female patients with hemorrhagic (n = 37) or calcified (n = 7) pelvic pathology underwent conventional MRI including susceptibility-weighted imaging with phase information. Hemorrhagic lesions were grouped into acute, subacute, and chronic, and calcified lesions were detected on the basis of conventional imaging findings. Phase quantification of these hemorrhagic and calcified lesions was performed.

RESULTS

The phase values significantly differed (P < 0.001) among various stages of hemorrhage, as well as calcification (chronic hemorrhage, -65.09 ± 9.09 degrees; subacute hemorrhage, -11.41 ± 4.4 degrees; acute hemorrhage, -42.30 ± 5.20 degrees; and calcified lesions, 117.55 ± 12.93 degrees).

CONCLUSIONS

Quantitative phase imaging has the potential to differentiate various stages of hemorrhagic and calcified pathologies. This may add value to the conventional MRI in improved characterization of these entities in female pelvic pathologies.

Ovarian cancer in pregnancy

Although the occurrence of ovarian masses in pregnancy is relatively common, the majority of them is functional and resolve spontaneously; nevertheless, ovarian cancer is the fifth most common malignancy diagnosed in pregnancy. If malignancy is suspected, treatment should be decided on the basis of gestational age, stage of the disease and patient preferences. In early stage, ovarian cancer surgery may be planned preferably after 16 weeks of pregnancy, and chemotherapy can be administered from the second trimester if indicated as in non-pregnant patients. In advanced-stage disease, when complete cytoreduction is not achievable, neoadjuvant chemotherapy could be administered even in pregnancy. Chemotherapy should be a combination of carboplatin and paclitaxel in epithelial ovarian cancer patients and a combination of cisplatin, vinblastin and bleomycin in non-epithelial ovarian cancer. The outcome of patients with ovarian cancer diagnosed in pregnancy is similar to non-pregnant patients, and stage of the disease is the most important prognostic factor.

Imaging modalities for the non-invasive diagnosis of endometriosis

BACKGROUND

About 10% of women of reproductive age suffer from endometriosis. Endometriosis is a costly chronic disease that causes pelvic pain and subfertility. Laparoscopy, the gold standard diagnostic test for endometriosis, is expensive and carries surgical risks. Currently, no non-invasive tests that can be used to accurately diagnose endometriosis are available in clinical practice. This is the first review of diagnostic test accuracy of imaging tests for endometriosis that uses Cochrane methods to provide an update on the rapidly expanding literature in this field.

OBJECTIVES

• To provide estimates of the diagnostic accuracy of imaging modalities for the diagnosis of pelvic endometriosis, ovarian endometriosis and deeply infiltrating endometriosis (DIE) versus surgical diagnosis as a reference standard.• To describe performance of imaging tests for mapping of deep endometriotic lesions in the pelvis at specific anatomical sites.Imaging tests were evaluated as replacement tests for diagnostic surgery and as triage tests that would assist decision making regarding diagnostic surgery for endometriosis.

SEARCH METHODS

We searched the following databases to 20 April 2015: MEDLINE, CENTRAL, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Web of Science, LILACS, OAIster, TRIP, ClinicalTrials.gov, MEDION, DARE, and PubMed. Searches were not restricted to a particular study design or language nor to specific publication dates. The search strategy incorporated words in the title, abstracts, text words across the record and medical subject headings (MeSH).

SELECTION CRITERIA

We considered published peer-reviewed cross-sectional studies and randomised controlled trials of any size that included prospectively recruited women of reproductive age suspected of having one or more of the following target conditions: endometrioma, pelvic endometriosis, DIE or endometriotic lesions at specific intrapelvic anatomical locations. We included studies that compared the diagnostic test accuracy of one or more imaging modalities versus findings of surgical visualisation of endometriotic lesions.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Two review authors independently collected and performed a quality assessment of data from each study. For each imaging test, data were classified as positive or negative for surgical detection of endometriosis, and sensitivity and specificity estimates were calculated. If two or more tests were evaluated in the same cohort, each was considered as a separate data set. We used the bivariate model to obtain pooled estimates of sensitivity and specificity when sufficient data sets were available. Predetermined criteria for a clinically useful imaging test to replace diagnostic surgery included sensitivity ≥ 94% and specificity ≥ 79%. Criteria for triage tests were set at sensitivity ≥ 95% and specificity ≥ 50%, ruling out the diagnosis with a negative result (SnNout test - if sensitivity is high, a negative test rules out pathology) or at sensitivity ≥ 50% with specificity ≥ 95%, ruling in the diagnosis with a positive result (SpPin test - if specificity is high, a positive test rules in pathology).

MAIN RESULTS

We included 49 studies involving 4807 women: 13 studies evaluated pelvic endometriosis, 10 endometriomas and 15 DIE, and 33 studies addressed endometriosis at specific anatomical sites. Most studies were of poor methodological quality. The most studied modalities were transvaginal ultrasound (TVUS) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), with outcome measures commonly demonstrating diversity in diagnostic estimates; however, sources of heterogeneity could not be reliably determined. No imaging test met the criteria for a replacement or triage test for detecting pelvic endometriosis, albeit TVUS approached the criteria for a SpPin triage test. For endometrioma, TVUS (eight studies, 765 participants; sensitivity 0.93 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.87, 0.99), specificity 0.96 (95% CI 0.92, 0.99)) qualified as a SpPin triage test and approached the criteria for a replacement and SnNout triage test, whereas MRI (three studies, 179 participants; sensitivity 0.95 (95% CI 0.90, 1.00), specificity 0.91 (95% CI 0.86, 0.97)) met the criteria for a replacement and SnNout triage test and approached the criteria for a SpPin test. For DIE, TVUS (nine studies, 12 data sets, 934 participants; sensitivity 0.79 (95% CI 0.69, 0.89) and specificity 0.94 (95% CI 0.88, 1.00)) approached the criteria for a SpPin triage test, and MRI (six studies, seven data sets, 266 participants; sensitivity 0.94 (95% CI 0.90, 0.97), specificity 0.77 (95% CI 0.44, 1.00)) approached the criteria for a replacement and SnNout triage test. Other imaging tests assessed in small individual studies could not be statistically evaluated.TVUS met the criteria for a SpPin triage test in mapping DIE to uterosacral ligaments, rectovaginal septum, vaginal wall, pouch of Douglas (POD) and rectosigmoid. MRI met the criteria for a SpPin triage test for POD and vaginal and rectosigmoid endometriosis. Transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS) might qualify as a SpPin triage test for rectosigmoid involvement but could not be adequately assessed for other anatomical sites because heterogeneous data were scant. Multi-detector computerised tomography enema (MDCT-e) displayed the highest diagnostic performance for rectosigmoid and other bowel endometriosis and met the criteria for both SpPin and SnNout triage tests, but studies were too few to provide meaningful results.Diagnostic accuracies were higher for TVUS with bowel preparation (TVUS-BP) and rectal water contrast (RWC-TVS) and for 3.0TMRI than for conventional methods, although the paucity of studies precluded statistical evaluation.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

None of the evaluated imaging modalities were able to detect overall pelvic endometriosis with enough accuracy that they would be suggested to replace surgery. Specifically for endometrioma, TVUS qualified as a SpPin triage test. MRI displayed sufficient accuracy to suggest utility as a replacement test, but the data were too scant to permit meaningful conclusions. TVUS could be used clinically to identify additional anatomical sites of DIE compared with MRI, thus facilitating preoperative planning. Rectosigmoid endometriosis was the only site that could be accurately mapped by using TVUS, TRUS, MRI or MDCT-e. Studies evaluating recent advances in imaging modalities such as TVUS-BP, RWC-TVS, 3.0TMRI and MDCT-e were observed to have high diagnostic accuracies but were too few to allow prudent evaluation of their diagnostic role. In view of the low quality of most of the included studies, the findings of this review should be interpreted with caution. Future well-designed diagnostic studies undertaken to compare imaging tests for diagnostic test accuracy and costs are recommended.

The utility of ultrasound elastography in differentiation of endometriomas and hemorrhagic ovarian cysts

PURPOSE

To investigate the feasibility of acoustic radiation force impulse imaging in differentiation of endometriomas and hemorrhagic ovarian cysts.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We evaluated 84 ovarian cysts with high internal echogenicity diagnosed in 70 consecutive women. We excluded simple cysts and hemorrhagic cysts containing septations or mural nodules with detectable flow on Doppler ultrasonography. We obtained the elastographic shear wave velocity (SWV) value of the cysts that could be endometriomas or hemorrhagic ovarian cysts.

RESULTS

Among the 78 ovarian cysts in 70 women without any septation or mural nodule, there were 42 endometriomas and 36 hemorrhagic ovarian cysts. Analysis of median SWV values of the ovarian cysts showed that the endometriomas had considerably higher levels of stiffness compared to the hemorrhagic ovarian cysts [median SWV 4.20 ± 0.42 vs 2.54 ± 1.04 m/s, p < 0.001]. A SWV cutoff value greater than 3.81 m/s yielded sensitivity and specificity values of 82.1 and 79.2 % respectively, for differentiation of endometriomas from hemorrhagic ovarian cysts.

CONCLUSION

Sonoelastography is a novel imaging technique that enables us to evaluate the stiffness of adnexal lesions. The accurate discrimination of endometriomas and hemorrhagic ovarian cysts is important for avoiding unnecessary surgical procedures. ARFI imaging has a high sensitivity and specificity for distinguishing endometrioma from hemorrhagic ovarian cysts.

A systematic review on endometriosis during pregnancy: diagnosis, misdiagnosis, complications and outcomes

BACKGROUND

Traditionally, pregnancy was considered to have a positive effect on endometriosis and its painful symptoms due not only to blockage of ovulation preventing bleeding of endometriotic tissue but also to different metabolic, hormonal, immune and angiogenesis changes related to pregnancy. However, a growing literature is emerging on the role of endometriosis in affecting the development of pregnancy and its outcomes and also on the impact of pregnancy on endometriosis. The present article aims to underline the difficulty in diagnosing endometriotic lesions during pregnancy and discuss the options for the treatment of decidualized endometriosis in relation to imaging and symptomatology; to describe all the possible acute complications of pregnancy caused by pre-existing endometriosis and evaluate potential treatments of these complications; to assess whether endometriosis affects pregnancy outcome and hypothesize mechanisms to explain the underlying relationships.

METHODS

This systematic review is based on material searched and obtained via Pubmed and Medline between January 1950 and March 2015. Peer-reviewed, English-language journal articles examining the impact of endometriosis on pregnancy and vice versa were included in this article.

RESULTS

Changes of the endometriotic lesions may occur during pregnancy caused by the modifications of the hormonal milieu, posing a clinical dilemma due to their atypical appearance. The management of these events is actually challenging as only few cases have been described and the review of available literature evidenced a lack of formal estimates of their incidence. Acute complications of endometriosis during pregnancy, such as spontaneous hemoperitoneum, bowel and ovarian complications, represent rare but life-threatening conditions that require, in most of the cases, surgical operations to be managed. Due to the unpredictability of these complications, no specific recommendation for additional interventions to the routinely monitoring of pregnancy of women with known history of endometriosis is advisable. Even if the results of the published studies are controversial, some evidence is suggestive of an association of endometriosis with spontaneous miscarriage, preterm birth and small for gestational age babies. A correlation of endometriosis with placenta previa (odds ratio from 1.67 to 15.1 according to various studies) has been demonstrated, possibly linked to the abnormal frequency and amplitude of uterine contractions observed in women affected. Finally, there is no evidence that prophylactic surgery would prevent the negative impact of endometriosis itself on pregnancy outcome.

CONCLUSIONS

Complications of endometriosis during pregnancy are rare and there is no evidence that the disease has a major detrimental effect on pregnancy outcome. Therefore, pregnant women with endometriosis can be reassured on the course of their pregnancies although the physicians should be aware of the potential increased risk of placenta previa. Current evidence does not support any modification of conventional monitoring of pregnancy in patients with endometriosis.

Ultrasonography of ovarian masses using a pattern recognition approach

As a primary imaging modality, ultrasonography (US) can provide diagnostic information for evaluating ovarian masses. Using a pattern recognition approach through gray-scale transvaginal US, ovarian masses can be diagnosed with high specificity and sensitivity. Doppler US may allow ovarian masses to be diagnosed as benign or malignant with even greater confidence. In order to differentiate benign and malignant ovarian masses, it is necessary to categorize ovarian masses into unilocular cyst, unilocular solid cyst, multilocular cyst, multilocular solid cyst, and solid tumor, and then to detect typical US features that demonstrate malignancy based on pattern recognition approach.

Staging, surveillance, and evaluation of response to therapy in renal cell carcinoma: role of MDCT

Renal cell carcinoma is the most common malignant renal tumor in the adults. Significant advances have been made in the management of localized and advanced renal cell carcinoma. Surgery is the standard of care and accurate pre-operative staging based on imaging is critical in guiding appropriate patient management. Besides staging, imaging plays a key role in the post-operative surveillance and evaluation of response to systemic therapies. Both CT and MR are useful in the staging and follow up of renal cell carcinoma, but CT is more commonly used due to its lower costs and wider availability. In this article, we discuss and illustrate the role of multi-detector CT in pre-operative staging, post-operative surveillance, and evaluation of response to systemic therapy in renal cell carcinoma.

Decidualized endometrioma masquerading as ovarian cancer in pregnancy

OBJECTIVES

To identify the sonographic features of decidualized endometriomas in patients treated at a single institution and to determine whether sonographic findings can distinguish these lesions from malignant ovarian tumors during pregnancy.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective cohort study that included pregnant women with a histologic diagnosis of decidualized endometrioma between January 1, 2005, and December 1, 2012, and had an ovarian cyst or mass seen preoperatively on obstetrical sonography. Sonographic characteristics of these masses were retrospectively evaluated using the International Ovarian Tumor Analysis Group definitions for adnexal masses.

RESULTS

Seventeen patients with 22 adnexal masses were included in our study. Nine of 22 lesions (41%) were classified as unilocular solid, and 14 of 22 (64%) had solid components, of which 12 of 14 (86%) had substantial blood flow. Septations were present in 8 of 22 masses (36%). Cyst sizes varied from 30 to 120 and 32 to 270 mm at the initial and follow-up scans, respectively. Eight patients had no follow-up scans and underwent surgery within 3 weeks of diagnosis. The other 9 patients (14 masses), had follow-up scans and underwent surgery from 3 to 34 weeks after their initial scans. Eight of these masses showed no notable change in size or appearance, and 1 became smaller.

CONCLUSIONS

There were no characteristic sonographic features identified to distinguish decidualized endometrioma from ovarian malignancy. However, lesions showing no change in size over 4 weeks or lacking solid components and vascularity are more likely to be benign rather than malignant and may justify delaying surgery until delivery or postpartum.

Natural history of ovarian endometrioma in pregnancy

Background

Ovarian endometriomas are classified as benign ovarian lesions. During pregnancy endometriomas may undergo major morphological changes which are referred to as ‘decidualisation’. Decidualised ovarian endometrioma may resemble malignant ovarian tumours on ultrasound examination. The aim was to study variations in the morphology and size of ovarian endometriomas diagnosed on ultrasound during pregnancy.

Methods

We searched our database to identify pregnant women who were diagnosed with ovarian endometriomas on ultrasound in order to study the effect of pregnancy on their morphological characteristics. In women who underwent serial scans during pregnancy we examined the changes in the size of endometriomas with advancing gestation.

Results

Twenty four patients with a total of 34 endometriomas were included in the analysis. All women were managed expectantly during pregnancy. On the first ultrasound scan 29/34 (85.3%, 95% CI 73.4 - 97.2) endometriomas appeared unilocular with fine internal echoes (‘ground glass’ contents) and they were poorly vascularised on Doppler examination. 1/34 (2.9% 95% CI 0.0 - 8.5) endometrioma was multilocular, with regular margins, ‘ground glass’ contents and it was also poorly vascularised. 4/34 (11.8%, 95% CI 1.0 - 22.6) had sonographic features suggestive of decidualisation such as thick and irregular inner wall, papillary projections and highly vascular on Doppler examination. The endometriomas showed a tendency to decrease in size during pregnancy.

Conclusions

Pregnancy has a major effect on the size and morphological appearances of ovarian endometriomas. Rapid regression of decidualised endometriomas is a helpful feature which could be used to confirm their benign nature.

Sonographic pattern recognition of endometriomas mimicking ovarian cancer

BACKGROUND

To assess the accuracy of ultrasound in differentiating endometrioma from ovarian cancer and to describe pattern recognition for atypical endometriomas mimicking ovarian cancers.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Patients scheduled for elective surgery for adnexal masses were sonographically evaluated for endometrioma within 24 hours of surgery. All examinations were performed by the same experienced sonographer, who had no any information of the patients, to differentiate between endometriomas and non-endometriomas using a simple rule (classic ground-glass appearance) and subjective impression (pattern recognition). The final diagnosis as a gold standard relied on either pathological or post-operative findings.

RESULTS

Of 638 patients available for analysis, 146 were proven to be endometriomas. Of them, the simple rule and subjective impression could sonographically detect endometriomas with sensitivities of 64.4% (94/146) and 89.7% (131/146), respectively. Of 52 endometriomas with false negative tests by the simple rule, 13 were predicted as benign masses and 39 were mistaken for malignancy. Solid masses and papillary projections were the most common forms mimicking ovarian cancer, consisting of 38.5% of the missed diagnoses. However, with pattern recognition (subjective impression), 32 from 39 cases mimicking ovarian cancer were correctly predicted for endometriomas. All endometriomas subjectively predicted for ovarian malignancy were associated with high vascularization in the solid masses.

CONCLUSIONS

Pattern recognition of endometriomas by subjective assessment had a higher sensitivity than the simple rule in characterization of endometriomas. Most endometriomas mimicking ovarian malignancy could be correctly predicted by subjective impression based on familiarity of pattern recognition.