Transvaginal sonographic measurements of postmenopausal ovarian volume as a possible detection of ovarian neoplasia.

BACKGROUND

The purpose of our study was to determine whether ovarian volume, as measured by transvaginal ultrasound and plotted on the nomogram of normal postmenopausal ovarian volume, could assist in the diagnosis of ovarian neoplasia.

METHODS

A retrospective study was undertaken, in which the ovaries of 85 postmenopausal women were examined by transvaginal ultrasonography prior to laparotomy. Three dimensions of each ovary were measured and ovarian volume was calculated. The results were plotted on the nomogram of normal postmenopausal ovarian volume.

RESULTS

Eighty-five ovarian tumors were diagnosed. The range of the mean ovarian volume varied between 98.15 cm3 to 161.81 cm3 from perimenopausal age to > 15 postmenopausal years, as compared to 2.2 +/- 1.4 - 8.6 +/- 2.8 cm in the normal postmenopausal women. The deviation from the normal volume was more striking in the malignant tumors group (100%) than in the benign group (86%). When plotted on the nomogram, these values showed significant deviation (above 2 s.d.) from the norm for each group of neoplasms in every menopausal age.

CONCLUSIONS

Sonographic detection of abnormal postmenopausal ovarian volume and the demonstration of the deviation from the ovarian volume nomogram, could assist the physician in early diagnosis of ovarian neoplasia. Ovarian volume measurements can serve as the primary method leading to diagnosis of ovarian cancer.