Diagnosis
To diagnose a cyst on the ovary is usually not difficult for a specialist in gynecology (gynecologist). First of all, it is important that the patient lists to her doctor all the symptoms she has noticed in the last few weeks. However, it is often the case that patients do not notice the cyst on the ovary at all and that during a routine examination at the gynaecologist’s office by ultrasound (sonography) the cyst is discovered.
In general, ultrasound is the best way to diagnose a cyst on the ovary.With the help of some gel, which is given on the lower abdomen of the patient, the doctor can assess the exact structure of the female sexual organs with the help of a small transducer and can therefore also accurately detect small changes, such as a small cyst on the ovary. In order to determine exactly whether it is a hormone-producing cyst or whether hormonal imbalances are present, additional blood can be taken from the patient. Only in rare cases does the cyst need to be removed by surgery and then sent to a tissue specialist (pathologist) for further examination. For most patients, however, it is sufficient to perform an ultrasound scan to diagnose the cyst on the ovary.
Frequency distribution
Cysts can occur in the ovary, especially in patients in puberty or menopause or during hormone therapy. However, in 98% of cases, it is a benign change and not a dangerous cyst in the ovary which could become malignant.
Symptoms
A cyst in the ovary often causes few or no symptoms at all. However, some women may find that they experience increased pimples (acne) or that their facial features become more masculine or breast growth decreases. These symptoms occur for example in polycystic ovary syndrome.
However, it is often the case that patients do not have any symptoms at all and that they do not notice that they suffer from a cyst on the ovary. In some cases, however, the cyst can cause cycle problems. This means that some patients have increased monthly bleeding, for example, bleeding every two weeks or having intermittent bleeding or spotting.
In this case one speaks of a so-called hypermenorrhoea. However, it also happens that patients do not have any symptoms except the absence of periods (amenorrhoea) due to a cyst on the ovary. In both cases, it is often the case that the patient goes to the gynaecologist and the gynaecologist finds out that the patient has an ovarian cyst.
Only rarely is the cyst accompanied by other symptoms. In the case of hormone-producing cysts, however, the patient may notice that her breast growth increases or that her skin appearance changes. However, this is only the case if the cyst produces female sex hormones (for example, the corpus luteum cyst, which produces progesterone). Only rarely do symptoms such as pain occur in the case of an ovarian cyst, but the patient may suffer from abdominal pain (including lower abdominal pain).
