MRI features of ovarian fibromas: emphasis on their relationship to the ovary

Oh, S.N.; Rha, S.E.; Byun, J.Y.; Lee, Y.J.; Jung, S.E.; Jung, C.K.; Kim, M.R.

doi:10.1016/j.crad.2007.10.006

« Previous Next »Clinical Radiology
Volume 63, Issue 5 , Pages 529-535, May 2008

MRI features of ovarian fibromas: emphasis on their relationship to the ovary

S.N. Oh
- Department of Radiology, Kangnam St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seocho-Ku, Seoul, South Korea
S.E. Rha
- Department of Radiology, Kangnam St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seocho-Ku, Seoul, South Korea
- Guarantor and correspondent: S.E. Rha, Department of Radiology, Kangnam St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, 505, Banpo-Dong, Seocho-Ku, Seoul 137-701, South Korea. Tel.: +82 2 590 2468; fax: +82 2 599 6771.
J.Y. Byun
- Department of Radiology, Kangnam St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seocho-Ku, Seoul, South Korea
Y.J. Lee
- Department of Radiology, Kangnam St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seocho-Ku, Seoul, South Korea
S.E. Jung
- Department of Radiology, St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Youngdungpo-gu, Seoul, South Korea
C.K. Jung
- Department of Hospital Pathology, Kangnam St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seocho-Ku, Seoul, South Korea
M.R. Kim
- Department of Obstetrics and gynecology, Kangnam St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seocho-Ku, Seoul, South Korea

Received 19 July 2007; received in revised form 15 October 2007; accepted 17 October 2007.

Aim

To evaluate the magnetic resonance (MR) imaging features of ovarian fibromas, emphasizing the presence and shape of the ovary on the same side of the fibroma.

Materials and methods

MR images from 23 patients with 24 histologically proven ovarian fibromas were reviewed by two radiologists. Eleven were pre-menopausal and 12 were postmenopausal. The presence and shape of the ovarian tissue on the same side of the fibroma were evaluated on T2-weighted MR images.

Results

In 11 (46%) of the 24 ovarian fibromas, the ipsilateral ovary was detected on T2-weighted images. The ovary was crescent-shaped along the periphery of the fibroma in six (55%) of 11 fibromas and had a normal, oval shape in five (45%). Of these five tumours, the ovary was connected to the fibromas by a pedicle-like structure in three and was closely attached to the periphery of the fibromas in two. The ipsilateral ovary was detected in 10 (83%) of 12 fibromas in pre-menopausal patients, and in one (8%) of 12 fibromas in postmenopausal patients. There was a statistically significant difference (p=0.001) in the presence of detectable ipsilateral ovary between pre-menopausal and postmenopausal women.

Conclusions

Detection of the remaining ovary on the same side as the fibroma is not unusual on MRI, especially in pre-menopausal women, and the shape of the ovary may be normal in cases of fibromas with exophytic growth from the periphery of the ovary.