Differential diagnosis of ovarian tumors

The occurrence of ovarian malignant tumors has a very serious impact on women's fertility. When the disease occurs, women may not have the right to be mothers. In the face of such a disease, we must actively prevent it. So what are the methods for diagnosing ovarian malignant tumors?

1. Clinical diagnosis

It mainly relies on clinical signs, such as abdominal distension, constipation, frequent urination, and abdominal mass. Some tumors can cause precocious puberty, postmenopausal bleeding, virilization, etc. A gynecological examination should be performed first. If unilateral or bilateral cystic or solid spherical masses and other pelvic abnormalities are palpated beside the uterus, various methods should be used to further confirm the diagnosis.

2. Ultrasound examination

It can assist in locating pelvic or abdominal tumors with an accuracy rate of over 90%; distinguish between cystic or solid tumors, uterus or adnexa; and identify ovarian tumors, ascites or encapsulated effusions.

3. Cytological diagnosis

Ovarian tumors with ascites can be examined for cancer cells by ascites puncture. Although the positive rate of smears from the posterior vaginal fornix for cancer cells is not high, it is completely harmless to the patient, so it is also a diagnostic method. In some ovarian tumors, estrogen secretion, especially after menopause, can assist in diagnosis.

4. X-ray examination

Teeth, bones and transparent shadows can be seen on the plain abdominal film of mature teratoma. Calcification foci can be seen on the X-ray film of papillary cystadenoma. Intestinal angiography can exclude intestinal tumors and help understand the location of the mass. Pneumoperitoneum and hysterosalpingography are also helpful in identifying the source of pelvic masses.

5. Laparoscopy

Under direct endoscopic vision, an early and accurate diagnosis can be made, biopsies can be performed, the nature of the tumor and the extent of infiltration can be determined, staging can be assisted, and the effect of chemotherapy can be observed. This is of certain value in determining prognosis and guiding treatment.

6. Hormone determination

In cases of feminizing tumors, the estrogen levels in the blood and urine increase, and in cases of masculinizing tumors, the 17-hydroxy and 17-ketosteroid levels in the urine increase. In cases of ovarian choriocarcinoma, the levels of human chorionic gonadotropin in the blood and urine increase.

7. Lymphangiography

It can be used as one of the methods for estimating the staging of malignant tumors.

8. Immunodiagnosis

Biochemical diagnosis and chromosome examination are still experimental research and are still some distance away from clinical application, but they are the direction of development.

Warm reminder: The best time to treat ovarian malignant tumors is in the early stages, so we must detect the disease in time!