Can an abdominal ultrasound detect ovarian cysts?

The article is professionally consulted by Master, Doctor Nguyen Viet Thu - Doctor of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine - Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Nuclear Medicine - Vinmec Times City International General Hospital.

Does abdominal ultrasound detect ovarian cysts? The majority of ovarian cysts are benign and do not significantly affect a patient's quality of life. However, under the influence of many factors, cysts can lead to dangerous complications. Therefore, early monitoring and screening will prevent these risks. Abdominal ultrasound is one of the methods to help detect ovarian cysts.

An ovarian cyst is a fluid that develops on or inside the ovary. The fluid bag may contain different mixtures of liquids or solids. Cysts are a common problem in women. These can be benign or malignant cysts.
Ovarian cysts are divided into types:
Functional cyst Physical cyst Ovarian water cyst Ovarian dermoid cyst Ovarian mucinous cyst Cystic endometrioma Symptoms of cyst Ovarian cyst can be confused with other diseases. Therefore, it is often difficult to detect the disease, only when the disease has serious signs, the patient will go to the doctor and diagnose the disease.
Cysts can cause dangerous complications and affect a woman's life:
Cysts are characterized by long stalks and under strong movement of the patient will cause torsion of the cyst. This condition causes severe abdominal pain or nausea. Rupture of an ovarian cyst is considered a serious condition, potentially causing internal bleeding and even an infection of the abdomen. Patients with ruptured cysts will have signs such as: severe abdominal pain with shock (due to a lot of blood loss).... Compression of nearby organs: The rapid growth of cysts causes them to spread. to internal organs such as bladder and rectum. Along with that, the patient will appear symptoms such as constipation, urinary frequency, difficulty urinating. Large cysts even cause limb edema due to compression of the inferior vena cava. SEE ALSO: Can ultrasound detect polycystic ovaries?

Ultrasound in general and abdominal ultrasound in particular is an imaging technique using high frequency to encode body structures in the form of images. With the naked ear, humans cannot hear this frequency. Ultrasound is indicated when the patient has symptoms of ovarian disease such as ovarian cyst, ovarian cancer. Abdominal ultrasound is considered safe because it does not use X-rays or radiation. The procedure is quick and takes only 15-20 minutes.
The advantage of the above method is that it helps to assess the location, condition, volume or characteristics of the cyst. However, abdominal ultrasound cannot help the specialist determine exactly whether the tumor is benign or malignant, but can only orient it to be benign or malignant, from which it can recommend the patient to do more tests such as chest x-ray. Abdominal CT, PET/CT or pelvic MRI or biopsy for histopathology....
Steps to conduct ultrasound of ovarian cyst on the abdomen include:
The patient is instructed to lie supine on the bed. In the disease, the shirt is pulled up to the chest and the pants are pulled below the pubic bone. Before the ultrasound, the doctor will apply a gel layer on the abdomen. Use a specialized transducer that moves around the abdomen to capture images. The image will be displayed on the screen. The specialist reads and prints the results. Women before an abdominal ultrasound need to hold their urine to empty the bladder. Accordingly, fasting is an important note that the abdominal sonographer should pay attention to. In some cases of sexual intercourse, the doctor may recommend a transvaginal ultrasound of the uterus and ovaries.

Abdominal ultrasound is a safe technique and brings certain accuracy. But this technique also has certain limitations such as not providing detailed images of the follicles, the image quality is not sharp. Therefore, the doctor will ask the patient to perform some other tests such as:

This diagnosis is made based on questions about the patient's condition, age, and medical history. In addition, the symptoms experienced by the patient also reflect the condition of the disease. Specifically:
Edema of both legs due to venous compression. Menstrual cycle irregularities The body's health shows signs of decline, often fatigue Unreasonable weight loss Along with that, the specialist doctor will ask the patient to have a gynecological examination to check the vagina.

Combining many diagnostic methods will help bring about accurate ovarian cyst test results:
On-site pregnancy test to make sure a woman is not pregnant. Magnetic resonance imaging helps diagnose the most accurate image. Computed tomography scans assess how far the cyst has spread to areas of the cyst. The CA-125 (CA: Cancer Antigen) serum test is used to determine if the CA-125 protein is present in the patient's blood. If this protein is present, the female has ovarian cyst cells. Check hormone levels: A blood count test to check the levels of LH, FSH, estradiol, and testosterone in the body. Ultrasound is a modern imaging tool, providing high accuracy for diagnosing ovarian cysts and classifying ovarian tumors. However, to get the most accurate ultrasound results, you need to choose a reputable performing facility, modern facilities, and a team of highly skilled and experienced doctors.
Currently, Vinmec International General Hospital systems have been using modern generations of color ultrasound machines. One of them is GE Healthcare's Logiq E9 ultrasound machine with full options, HD resolution transducers for clear images, accurate assessment of lesions, early detection of ovarian cysts and pathologies. gynecology accurately. In addition, a team of highly skilled and experienced doctors will greatly assist in the diagnosis and early detection of abnormal signs of the body in order to provide timely treatment.