CT appearance of pediatric ovaries and uterus.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the changes in pediatric uterine and ovarian morphology with age.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The CT scans of 125 young girls and adolescents between 1 and 18 years of age without clinical evidence of gynecological abnormality were retrospectively studied. The uterus and ovaries, respectively, were visualized in 66 and 6.3% of girls under 8 years of age vs. 92 and 75% of girls over 8 years of age.

RESULTS

Mean ovarian volume was < or = 0.8 cm3 in girls under 8 years of age and between 2.1 and 6.9 cm3 in older girls. Cysts were seen in > 70% of all girls, regardless of age. Mean uterine volume ranged between 0.5 and 1.3 cm3 in girls under 8 years of age and between 4.1 and 37.3 cm3 in older girls. The CT diagnosis of pelvic organ pathology could nearly always be made on the basis of altered morphology, but size criteria were helpful when morphology was not significantly altered.

CONCLUSION

Our study shows that ovaries are not well seen on CT in girls 8 years of age and younger. When ovaries are visualized, cysts are a common finding in healthy young and adolescent girls. The uterus is visualized more easily at all ages.