Sonographic visualization of the normal postmenopausal ovary.

The pelvic sonograms of 30 postmenopausal women who demonstrated no pathology in 8-18 months of clinical follow-up were reviewed. In 19 cases both ovaries were visualized. Only one ovary was seen in three patients and neither ovary identified in eight patients. Ovarian volumes were all less than or equal to 2.5 cm3. The authors suggest that, contrary to previous experience, a large proportion of normal postmenopausal ovaries can be depicted sonographically. Further data are necessary before definite normal volumes are known but sonography may be useful to screen patients to help detect early ovarian carcinoma.