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Ovarian cancer during pregnancy

  • Special Section: Cancer in Pregnancy
  • Published:
Abdominal Radiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Adnexal masses during pregnancy are a relatively uncommon entity. Their clinical management is challenging given the overlapping features of certain entities on imaging and histopathology, which can mimic malignancy, and the potential side effects to the mother and fetus, whether expectant management versus surgery is pursued. Ultrasonography with Doppler evaluation is the modality of choice for evaluating adnexal masses during pregnancy. Magnetic resonance imaging is the second-line modality useful when US findings are inconclusive/indeterminate. Most adnexal masses in pregnant patients are benign in origin (e.g., functional cysts, mature cystic teratoma, decidualization of endometrioma), but a few are malignant in origin (e.g., dysgerminoma, granulosa cell tumor). Most cases of adnexal masses are asymptomatic, but complications such as ovarian torsion can occur. This review aims to familiarize the radiologist with the imaging of adnexal lesions during pregnancy so that the radiologist can identify ovarian cancer. Specifically, the review will detail the most common benign and malignant adnexal masses in pregnancy, mimickers, and their corresponding imaging findings on US and MRI.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Joanne Chin, MFA, ELS, for her editorial support.

Funding

This work was funded in part through the NIH/NCI Cancer Center Support Grant P30 CA008748.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, USA

    Pamela I. Causa Andrieu & Iva Petkovska

  2. Department of Radiology, University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA

    Shaun A. Wahab

  3. Department of Radiology, Cancer Institute of Montpellier, Montpellier, France

    Stephanie Nougaret

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  1. Pamela I. Causa Andrieu
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Correspondence to Pamela I. Causa Andrieu.

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Causa Andrieu, P.I., Wahab, S.A., Nougaret, S. et al. Ovarian cancer during pregnancy. Abdom Radiol 48, 1694–1708 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00261-022-03768-y

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