Computed Tomography Scan Summary

This study focused on the matter of ruptured ovarian cysts that lead to hemoperitoneum, or the pooling of blood in the abdominal cavity. The study consisted of a group of thirteen patients whose endometriotic cysts were prone to rupture. The study compared the outcomes of the preoperative CT of the thirteen patients to patient records of patients whose cysts were confirmed ruptured to better diagnose cysts, and ruling out the detection of ovarian cancer, with the intent of planning the appropriate treatment response.

The study found that patients with endometriotic cysts were typically older than those with functional cysts, which may form during ovulation, or through an underdeveloped follicle; endometriotic cysts, the study also found, can replace normal, healthy tissues of the ovaries, and are prone to inflammation and leaks, fibrosis, and adhesion formation, while actual ruptures are far rarer. Patients with ruptured endometriotic cysts risk the common complication of pelvic adhesion, meaning that scar tissues connecting organs that normally do not touch. When measured in a CT, active bleeding shown by intravenous contrast has a higher attenuation value than free or clotted blood, warning for the necessity for immediate surgical intervention; this condition may be related to the rupture of a corpus luteal cyst during ovulation or menstruation, and which can lead to hemoperitoneum or iron-deficiency anemia.

Issues with the study included the retrospective evaluation, the small sample groups, the limited pool of conditions (some of which may coincide with the cysts on a CT scan), the selection bias, and the limited analytical interpreters.

Work Cited

Lee, Young Rae. "CT Imaging Findings of Ruptured Ovarian Endometriotic Cysts: Emphasis onthe Differential Diagnosis with Ruptured Ovarian Functional Cysts."Korean Journal of Radiology 12.1 (2011): 59-65. KoreaMed. Web. 20 Oct. 2013.