Diagnosis and Treatment > Signs and Symptoms > Ovarian cysts

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Chloe Broughton Southmead Hospital, North Bristol NHS Trust, Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol, UK

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Jane Mears Southmead Hospital, North Bristol NHS Trust, Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol, UK

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Adam Williams Southmead Hospital, North Bristol NHS Trust, Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol, UK

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Kathryn Lonnen Southmead Hospital, North Bristol NHS Trust, Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol, UK

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Summary

Pituitary adenomas can be classified as functioning or non-functioning adenomas. Approximately 64% of clinically non-functioning pituitary adenomas are found to be gonadotroph adenomas on immunohistochemistry. There are reported cases of gonadotroph adenomas causing clinical symptoms, but this is unusual. We present the case of a 36-year-old female with abdominal pain. Multiple large ovarian cysts were identified on ultrasound requiring bilateral cystectomy. Despite this, the cysts recurred resulting in further abdominal pain, ovarian torsion and right oophorectomy and salpingectomy. On her 3rd admission with abdominal pain, she was found to have a rectus sheath mass which was resected and histologically confirmed to be fibromatosis. Endocrine investigations revealed elevated oestradiol, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) at the upper limit of the normal range and a suppressed luteinising hormone (LH). Prolactin was mildly elevated. A diagnosis of an FSH-secreting pituitary adenoma was considered and a pituitary MRI revealed a 1.5 cm macroadenoma. She underwent transphenoidal surgery which led to resolution of her symptoms and normalisation of her biochemistry. Subsequent pelvic ultrasound showed normal ovarian follicular development. Clinically functioning gonadotroph adenomas are rare, but should be considered in women presenting with menstrual irregularities, large or recurrent ovarian cysts, ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome and fibromatosis. Transphenoidal surgery is the first-line treatment with the aim of achieving complete remission.

Learning points:

  • Pituitary gonadotroph adenomas are usually clinically non-functioning, but in rare cases can cause clinical symptoms.

  • A diagnosis of a functioning gonadotroph adenoma should be considered in women presenting with un-explained ovarian hyperstimulation and/or fibromatosis.

  • In women with functioning gonadotroph adenomas, the main biochemical finding is elevated oestradiol levels. Serum FSH levels can be normal or mildly elevated. Serum LH levels are usually suppressed.

  • Transphenoidal surgery is the first-line treatment for patients with functioning gonadotroph adenomas, with the aim of achieving complete remission.

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Marco Russo Endocrinology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Messina, Italy

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Ilenia Marturano Endocrinology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Garibaldi-Nesima Hospital, Catania, Italy

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Romilda Masucci Surgical Oncology, Garibaldi-Nesima Hospital, Catania, Italy

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Melania Caruso Gynecology and Obstetrics, Garibaldi-Nesima Hospital, Catania, Italy

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Maria Concetta Fornito Nuclear Medicine, Garibaldi-Nesima Hospital, Catania, Italy

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Dario Tumino Endocrinology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Garibaldi-Nesima Hospital, Catania, Italy

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Martina Tavarelli Endocrinology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Garibaldi-Nesima Hospital, Catania, Italy

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Sebastiano Squatrito Endocrinology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Garibaldi-Nesima Hospital, Catania, Italy

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Gabriella Pellegriti Endocrinology, Garibaldi-Nesima Hospital, Catania, Italy

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Summary

Struma ovarii is a rare ovarian teratoma characterized by the presence of thyroid tissue as the major component. Malignant transformation of the thyroidal component (malignant struma ovarii) has been reported in approximately 5% of struma ovarii. The management and follow-up of this unusual disease remain controversial. We report the case of a woman with a history of autoimmune thyroiditis and a previous resection of a benign struma ovarii that underwent hystero-annexiectomy for malignant struma ovarii with multiple papillary thyroid cancer foci and peritoneal involvement. Total thyroidectomy and subsequent radioiodine treatment lead to complete disease remission after 104 months of follow-up. The diagnosis and natural progression of malignant struma ovarii are difficult to discern, and relapses can occur several years after diagnosis. A multidisciplinary approach is mandatory; after surgical excision of malignant struma, thyroidectomy in combination with 131I therapy should be considered after risk stratification in accordance with a standard approach in differentiated thyroid cancer patients.

Learning points

  • Malignant struma ovarii is a rare disease; diagnosis is difficult and management is not well defined.

  • Predominant sites of metastasis are adjacent pelvic structures.

  • Thyroidectomy and 131I therapy should be considered after risk stratification in accordance with standard approaches in DTC patients.

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P Hanson Endocrinology, University Hospital of Coventry and Warwickshire, Coventry, UK

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M Pandit Endocrinology, University Hospital of Coventry and Warwickshire, Coventry, UK

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V Menon Endocrinology, University Hospital of Coventry and Warwickshire, Coventry, UK

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S Roberts Endocrinology, University Hospital of Coventry and Warwickshire, Coventry, UK

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T M Barber Endocrinology, University Hospital of Coventry and Warwickshire, Coventry, UK

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Summary

The case is a 34-year-old woman with long-standing type 1 diabetes mellitus with existing follow-up in the outpatient clinic at the Warwickshire Institute for the Study of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, UHCW. She had maintained good glycaemic control and glycaemic stability with basal bolus regimen for many years. She had not developed any diabetes-related complications and had no other co-morbidities. Six months ago, she presented to A&E with sudden-onset, well-localised and severe pain in the right iliac fossa, just lateral to the para-umbilical area. Her biochemistry was normal. Ultrasound scan, however, revealed a right-sided ovarian cyst, which was thought to have caused pain to her. She was discharged from A&E with simple analgesia. On subsequent gynaecological follow-up 4 weeks later, her pain remained severe and examination revealed an exquisitely tender subcutaneous nodule at the same location measuring 2 cm in diameter. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan at the time revealed a 1 cm mass in the subcutaneous adipose tissue, which co-localised to her pain. The mass demonstrated a central fat signal surrounded by a peripheral ring: observations consistent with fat necrosis. There were other smaller subcutaneous nodules also observed in the left para-umbilical area. Subsequent surgical resection of the main area of fat necrosis was performed. The patient made an excellent recovery and her pain resolved post-operatively. Histology confirmed the presence of fat necrosis. Fat necrosis is a rare complication of s.c. insulin injection. This case illustrates the importance of considering this diagnosis in patients who inject insulin and develop localised injection-site pain.

Learning points

  • Fat necrosis is a rare complication of insulin injections that can manifest with severe, persistent and well-localised pain.

  • Fat necrosis can masquerade as other pathologies causing diagnostic confusion.

  • The imaging modality of choice for accurate diagnosis of fat necrosis is MRI.

  • Histological confirmation of fat necrosis is important.

  • Appropriate management of localised fat necrosis is surgical excision, with avoidance of further insulin injections into the affected area.

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Pramila Dharmshaktu Department of Medicine, Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi, India

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Aditya Kutiyal Department of Medicine, Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi, India

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Dinesh Dhanwal Department of Medicine, Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi, India

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Summary

A 21-year-old female patient recently diagnosed with severe hypothyroidism was found to have a large ovarian cyst. In view of the large ovarian cyst, she was advised to undergo elective laparotomy in the gynaecology department. She was further evaluated in our medical out-patient department (OPD), and elective surgery was withheld. She was started on thyroxine replacement therapy, and within a period of 4 months, the size of the cyst regressed significantly, thereby improving the condition of the patient significantly. This case report highlights the rare and often missed association between hypothyroidism and ovarian cysts. Although very rare, profound hypothyroidism that can cause ovarian cysts in an adult should always be kept in the differential diagnosis to avoid unnecessary ovarian surgery.

Learning points

  • Hypothyroidism should be considered in the differential diagnosis of adult females presenting with multicystic ovarian tumours.

  • Adequate thyroid hormone replacement therapy can prevent these patients from undergoing unnecessary and catastrophic ovarian resection.

  • Surgical excision should be considered only when adequate thyroid replacement therapy fails to resolve ovarian enlargement.

  • In younger women with ovarian cysts, it is also desirable to avoid unnecessary surgery so as to not compromise fertility in the future.

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Gautam Das University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff CF14 4XW, UK

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Vinay S Eligar University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff CF14 4XW, UK

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Jyothish Govindan University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff CF14 4XW, UK

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D Aled Rees University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff CF14 4XW, UK

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Summary

Background: Hyperandrogenic states in pregnancy are rare but arise most commonly due to new-onset ovarian pathology in pregnancy. We describe the case of a young woman who presented in the latter half of her pregnancy with features of hyperandrogenism. We review the biochemical and imaging findings and discuss the differential diagnosis.

Case presentation: A 26-year-old woman presented in the later part of her pregnancy with widespread hirsutism. Biochemical testing confirmed hyperandrogenism (testosterone, 13.7 nmol/l and second-trimester pregnancy range, 0.9–4.9 nmol/l), although she had no history of menstrual disturbance, hirsutism or acne prior to conception. Radiological evaluation (ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging) revealed multiple cystic lesions in both ovaries, leading to a presumptive diagnosis of hyperreactio luteinalis (HL). The implications of maternal hyperandrogenism on foetal virilisation were considered and the patient was counselled appropriately. She delivered a healthy baby boy uneventfully. Androgen levels, hirsutism and acne normalised within a few weeks of delivery.

Conclusion: HL can occur at any stage of pregnancy and is an important differential diagnosis in pregnant patients with features of androgen excess. Most cases regress spontaneously after delivery and major interventions are usually not needed.

Learning points

  • Hyperandrogenism in pregnancy is rare.

  • Clinical features are similar to the non-pregnant state in the mother but virilisation in the foetus can have profound consequences.

  • HL and pregnancy luteoma are the most common ovarian pathologies leading to hyperandrogenism in pregnancy.

  • Spontaneous regression occurs in the post-partum period in the vast majority of cases and surgery is only required for local complications.

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