NORMAL OVARIES AND FUNCTIONAL CYSTS - MR APPEARANCE

PURPOSE: To evaluate characteristics of functional cysts and stroma in normal ovaries on magnetic resonance (MR) images. MATERIALS AND METHO DS: Fifty-six women with at least one surgically proved normal ovary u nderwent MR imaging. Gadolinium-enhanced fat-saturated images were obt ained in 32 patients. Ovary and cyst sizes and the number of cysts wer e recorded. Signal intensity was rated for the ovarian stroma and cyst s. RESULTS: On T2-weighted images, 57 of 82 (70%) ovaries showed a zon al differentiation. Ovarian stroma enhanced less than myometrium in 30 of 43 cases. Zonal anatomy and degree of enhancement correlated with patient age and menopausal status. Cyst walls had lower signal intensi ty on T2-weighted images than ovarian stroma in 49 of 74 cases and sho wed greater enhancement in 21 of 35. CONCLUSION: Most normal premenopa usal ovaries exhibit distinct features of a zonal anatomy, whereas pos tmenopausal ovaries do not. Cysts with discrete enhancing walls were n umerous and were found in all age groups.