Journal of Ultrasound in Medicine, Vol 16, Issue 5 355-358, Copyright © 1997 by American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine
Doppler flow characteristics of dermoid cysts: unique appearance of struma ovarii
Y. Zalel, B. Caspi and R. Tepper
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sapir Medical Center, Kfar-Saba, Israel.
The purpose of our study was to evaluate the Doppler flow characteristics
of ovarian dermoid cysts. In 70 women (mean age, 38.7 +/- 14.6 years), 78
ovarian lesions with mean diameter of 48.9 +/- 28.4 mm and preoperative
sonographic diagnosis of dermoid cyst of the ovary were evaluated
prospectively by Doppler flow sonography; these cysts were eventually
removed surgically. The findings were compared to the postoperative
histologic results. In 74 lesions (eight cases were bilateral), when blood
flow patterns were detected (detection rate of 24.3%) they were obtained
only from the ovarian tissue surrounding the dermoid cavity, with a mean
resistive index of 0.6 +/- 0.1 (range, 0.4 to 0.76). In four cases, which
were proved postoperatively to be struma ovarii, blood flow was detected
not only from the cyst capsule but also from the centrally positioned solid
area (dermoid tissue), with a mean RI of 0.565 +/- 0.08 (range, 0.509 to
0.667). Dermoid cysts of the ovary are devoid of blood flow, with flow
detection rate being only 24.3% from the cyst capsule. When apparently
vascularized solid tissue is detected in the central part of a
sonographically suspected benign cystic teratoma, struma ovary is highly
suspected.
