Imaging spectrum of acquired uterine vascular abnormalities with angiographic correlates, a pictorial review

Background Acquired uterine arterial anomalies, including uterine artery pseudoaneurysms (UAP), arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) and arteriovenous fistulae (AFVs), are rare presenting causes of abnormal uterine bleeding. Timely diagnosis is essential for safe and effective treatment, avoiding life-threatening haemorrhage resulting from erroneous uterine curettage due to misdiagnosing these as other more common differentials. Main text This pictorial review discusses the ultrasound (USG), CT and MRI features of various acquired uterine vascular abnormalities with angiographic correlates. Conclusion Acquired uterine arteriovenous injuries are a fundamental cause of dysfunctional intractable bleeding recalcitrant to traditional conservative management. Endovascular transcatheter uterine artery embolisation is an increasingly popular and safe mode of treatment, especially in young patients desiring to have the option of future pregnancies, with lesser morbidity and in-hospital stay duration.

Transvaginal Sonographic Evaluation of Cesarean Section Scar Niche in Pregnancy: A Prospective Longitudinal Study

Background and Objectives: To investigate the prevalence of a Cesarean section (CS) scar niche during pregnancy, assessed by transvaginal ultrasound imaging, and to relate scar measurements, demographic and obstetric variables to the niche evolution and final pregnancy outcome. Materials and Methods: In this prospective observational study, we used transvaginal sonography to examine the uterine scars of 122 women at 11+0–13+6, 18+0–20+6 and 32+0–35+6 weeks of gestation. A scar was defined as visible on pregnant status when the area of hypoechogenic myometrial discontinuity of the lower uterine segment was identified. The CS scar niche (“defect”) was defined as an indentation at the site of the CS scar with a depth of at least 2 mm in the sagittal plane. We measured the hypoechogenic part of the CS niche in two dimensions, as myometrial thickness adjacent to the niche and the residual myometrial thickness (RMT). In the second and third trimesters of pregnancy, the full lower uterine segment (LUS) thickness and the myometrial layer thickness were measured at the thinnest part of the scar area. Two independent examiners measured CS scars in a non-selected subset of patients (n = 24). Descriptive analysis was used to assess scar visibility, and the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was calculated to show the strength of absolute agreement between two examiners for scar measurements. Factors associated with the CS scar niche, including maternal age, BMI, smoking status, previous vaginal delivery, obstetrics complications and a history of previous uterine curettage, were investigated. Clinical information about pregnancy outcomes and complications was obtained from the hospital’s electronic medical database. Results: The scar was visible in 77.9% of the women. Among those with a visible CS scar, the incidence of a CS scar niche was 51.6%. The intra- and interobserver agreement for CS scar niche measurements was excellent (ICC 0.98 and 0.89, respectively). Comparing subgroups of women in terms of CS scar niche (n = 49) and non-niche (n = 73), there was no statistically significant correlation between maternal age (p = 0.486), BMI (p = 0.529), gestational diabetes (p = 1.000), smoking status (p = 0.662), previous vaginal delivery after CS (p = 1.000) and niche development. Uterine scar niches were seen in 56.3% (18/48) of the women who had undergone uterine curettage, compared with 34.4% (31/74) without uterine curettage (p = 0.045). We observed an absence of correlation between the uterine scar niche at the first trimester of pregnancy and mode of delivery (p = 0.337). Two cases (4.7%) of uterine scar dehiscence were confirmed following a trial of vaginal delivery. Conclusions: Based on ultrasonography examination, the CS scar niche remained visible in half of the cases with a visible CS scar at the first trimester of pregnancy and could be reproducibly measured by a transvaginal scan. Previous uterine curettage was associated with an increased risk for uterine niche formation in a subsequent pregnancy. Uterine scar dehiscence might be potentially related to the CS scar niche.

Uterine Epithelioid Trophoblastic Tumor in a 44-Year-Old Woman: A Diagnostic Dilemma

Background: Epithelioid trophoblastic tumor (ETT) is a rare and newly defined disease, which most commonly occurs in women of reproductive age and can be a sequela of any gestational event. ETT can be present in both intrauterine and extrauterine sites. Case report: A woman of reproductive age, without specific comorbidities and with a single pregnancy and natural childbirth eight years ago, was diagnosed initially with poorly differentiated pleomorphic leiomyosarcoma on the hemostatic uterine curettage. Conclusion: Our case highlights that ETT presents a diagnostic challenge due to its rarity and histologic resemblance to other pathologies. Misdiagnosis delays effective treatment and affects survival. To date, only 8 cases of ETT of the uterus without previous gestational event and normal human chorionic gonadotropin (β-HCG) levels in a 60-year literature survey have been reported.

Diagnostic workup for endometrioid borderline ovarian tumors (eBOT) requires histopathological evaluation of the uterus

Background For young borderline ovarian tumor (BOT) patients, preservation of the uterus was incorporated as an accepted option into treatment guidelines. For the endometrioid subtype (eBOT) however, adequate histological evaluation is challenging and might be associated with synchronous endometrial disorders or misinterpreted as spread from uterine primaries. Case presentation We report the cases of two young patients with eBOT who underwent treatment according to current guidelines. In both cases, unexpected findings of invasive uterine carcinomas were established in final histopathological evaluation. Conclusions This constellation highlights the challenging diagnostic workup of BOT and underlines that uterine curettage is indispensable for eBOT to exclude uterine primary tumors when fertility preservation is planned. Accordingly, we suggest to include this procedure into recommendations for diagnostic workup and to state the potential risk in treatment guidelines.

Therapeutic approach of uterine leiomyoma; choosing the most appropriate surgical option

The most common benign pelvic tumor in young women is uterine leiomyoma. It is often asymptomatic, but can cause symptoms such as pelvic-abdominal pain, vaginal bleeding, urinary and intestinal transit disorders. If there is a suspicion of malignancy, it is necessary to perform fractional uterine curettage to establish the histopathological diagnosis. The surgical treatment of uterine leiomyoma includes several procedures: myomectomy, subtotal or total hysterectomy. The procedure will be chosen depending on the patient's particularities: BMI, uterine size, leiomyoma location, surgical history or other associated pathologies. Laparoscopic hysterectomy has a 45-minute shorter duration of intervention than vaginal hysterectomy, and the conversion rate to the open procedure is lower. Laparoscopically treated cases have fewer postoperative complications compared to other surgical procedures and have a shorter hospitalization and recovery time. The recurrence rate of uterine leiomyoma is similar for both laparoscopic and open abdominal approach, and the frequency of long-term complications such as adhesion syndrome or pelvic pain is higher after the latter.

Diagnostic Workup for Endometrioid Borderline Ovarian Tumors (eBOT) Requires Histopathological Evaluation of the Uterus

BackgroundFor young borderline ovarian tumor (BOT) patients, preservation of the uterus was incorporated as an accepted option into treatment guidelines. For the endometrioid subtype (eBOT) however, adequate histological evaluation is challenging and might be associated with synchronous endometrial disorders or misinterpreted as spread from uterine primaries. Case presentationWe report the cases of two young patients with eBOT who underwent treatment according to current guidelines. In both cases, unexpected findings of invasive uterine carcinomas were established in final histopathological evaluation.ConclusionsThis constellation highlights the challenging diagnostic workup of BOT and underlines that uterine curettage is indispensable for eBOT to exclude uterine primary tumors when fertility preservation is planned. Accordingly, this procedure needs to be included in recommendations for diagnostic workup and the potential risk should be clearly stated in treatment guidelines.