Malignant transformation of an endometriotic cyst: MDCT and MR findings

Authors

  • Athina C Tsili
  • Maria I Argyropoulou
  • George Koliopoulos
  • Evangelos Paraskevaidis
  • Konstantine Tsampoulas

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3941/jrcr.v5i1.435

Keywords:

endometriosis, endometriotic cyst, carcinoma, imaging, multidetector CT, magnetic resonance

Abstract

Malignant transformation is a rare complication of endometriosis. MR criteria for diagnosis include the presence of soft-tissue components, enhanciment after contrast material administration in an endometriotic cyst. We present the multidetector CT and MR imaging findings in a case of an incidentally found endometrioid adenocarcinoma in a left-sided ovarian endometrioma, occurring in a 30-year old woman. MR imaging enabled the correct preoperative characterization of the lesion, by depicting a soft-tissue element, with strong and early enhancement after gadolinium administration. The same area had high signal intensity on diffusion-weighted images and low apparent diffusion coefficient values due to restricted diffusion, findings also strongly suggestive of malignancy.

Published

2011-01-22

Issue

Section

Genitourinary Radiology