Reproductive: Masses of the Uterus and Vagina Flashcards
What are the major subtypes of uterine fibroids?
- Hyaline (most common)
- Hypercellular (more dense)
- Lipoleiomyoma (fat containing)
Are fibroids estrogen dependent?
Yes, they grow during pregnancy and involute with menopause
Note: This is also why they are rare before puberty.
MRI appearance of hyaline uterine fibroids
T1 dark and T2 dark with homogenous enhancement
MRI appearance of hypercellular uterine fibroids
T1 dark and T2 bright with homogenous enhancement
Note: These respond well to IR embolization.
MRI appearance of lipoleiomyoma
T1 bright (dark if fat sat) and T2 bright with possible rim enhancement
What are the 4 major types of uterine fibroid degeneration?
- Hyaline degeneration (most common)
- Red/carneous degeneration
- Myxoid degeneration (rare)
- Cystic degeneration (rare)
What is the most common type of fibroid degeneration?
Hyaline
Hyaline degeneration of a uterine fibroid
When the fibroid outgrows its blood supply, resulting in the accumulation of proteinaceous tissue
Carneous degeneration of a uterine fibroid
When venous thrombosis causes fibroid degeneration
Note: This usually occurs during pregnancy.
Which type of fibroid degeneration is classically T2 dark on MRI?
Hyaline degeneration
Which type of fibroid degeneration classically has a T1 bright peripheral rim?
Red (carneous) degeneration
What type of fibroid degeneration?
Red (carneous) degeneration
Note: T1 bright peripheral rim in the subacute phase.
What type of fibroid degeneration?
Myxoid degeneration
Note: T2 bright with minimal enhancement (hyaline degeneration is usually T2 dark).
What type of fibroid degeneration (no enhancement)?
Cystic degeneration
How can you tell whether a uterine fibroid has degenerated?
Absence or paucity of enhancement (normally uterine fibroids enhance avidly)
How can you differentiate a normal uterine fibroid from a uterine leiomyosarcoma
You can’t, but a rapidly enlarging fibroid with areas of necrosis should make you more suspicious of a leiomyosarcoma
Adenomyosis
When endometrial tissue is found within the myometrium
Risk factors for adenomyosis
- Multiple prior pregnancies
- Uterine procedures (e.g. c section, dilatation and curettage, etc.)
What portion of the uterus is most commonly affected by adenomyosis?
The posterior wall
Note: The cervix is usually spared.
Imaging findings of adenomyosis
- Thickening of the junctional zone on MRI (best imaging test)
- Enlarged uterus with normal contour
- Heterogeneous myometrium on ultrasound
Classic imaging finding for adenomyosis
Thickening of the junctional zone >12 mm on MRI (either focal or diffuse)
Note: You may also see T2 bright foci in the myometrium (endometrial cystic tissue).
Adenoomyosis
Note: Thickening of the junctional zone along the posterior uterine wall with T2 bright foci.
Adenomyosis
Note: Heterogeneous thickening of the junctional zone with cystic changes.
e
Junctional zone
Note: d is the endometrium and f is the myometrium.
A
Myometrium
B
Junctional zone
C
Endometrium
Imaging absence of the junctional zone is normal in what pts?
- Pre-puberty
- Postmenopausal
- During pregnancy and postpartum for 6 months (appears similar to myometrium)
How long does it take the junction zone to return to its normal MRI appearance after a pregnancy?
6 months after delivery
Note: Before this and during pregnancy the junctional zone appears too similar to myometrium to tell apart.
How thick is the endometrium allowed to be?
- Up to 12 mm (if proliferative trilaminar appearance)
- Up to 16 mm (if secretory homogeneously hyperechoic appearance)
- Up to 4 mm (if postmenopausal)