Diagnostic value of susceptibility-weighted imaging of abdominal wall endometriomas during the cyclic menstrual changes: A preliminary study

Objective

The purpose of this study is to investigate the value of susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI) for the evaluation of cyclic morphological and hemorrhagic changes in abdominal wall endometriomas (AWE).

Materials and methods

Fourteen patients with a total of 17 lesions who were admitted with complaints of abdominal wall mass and cyclic pain were evaluated by MRI. Patients were scanned during the first three days of the menstrual cycle and during the mid-cycle phase (day 13–15). In addition to conventional images SWI was performed. The signal changes within the lesions on SWI were compared and graded on both studies.

Results

There was no significant difference in the size of the lesions in the early days of the menstruation compared to the mid-menstrual period. The SWI taken on mid-cycle phase showed that the center was hyperintense and the peripheral zone was hypointense in all lesions. A signal void related to increased blood and the shrinkage of complete disappearance of hyperintensity in the venter of the lesion was seen 15 (88%) of the 17 cases on the SWI series performed during the menstrual phase scan.

Conclusion

SWI is a sensitive technique and has the capability to show hemorrhage and deposition of hemosiderin within the lesions. For patients suspected with AWE, valuable diagnostic findings may be obtained if the MRI examination including SWI is performed during the early and mid phase menstrual cycle.