Journal of Ultrasound in Medicine, Vol 8, Issue 9 487-491, Copyright © 1989 by American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine
The spectrum of sonographic findings in endometriomas
P. A. Athey and D. D. Diment
Department of Radiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030.
The sonographic features of 40 pathologically proven endometriomas in 32
patients were reviewed to evaluate their sonographic spectrum. Acoustic
enhancement was present in 88% and indeterminate in 10% due to technical
factors. With respect to internal echo texture, the majority of
endometriomas were predominantly anechoic (80%): 7 were totally anechoic; 4
contained septations; 12 contained scattered internal echoes, with or
without septations; and 9 contained dependent echoes, with or without
septations. Seven endometriomas contained diffuse, low-level internal
echoes and were considered hypoechoic, but still fluid-containing masses.
Only 1 was echogenic. The overall appearance frequently simulated that of
hemorrhagic ovarian cyst, but in some cases endometriomas resembled
tubo-ovarian abscess, cystadenoma/cystadenocarcinoma, or ectopic pregnancy.
