SRU Hosts Consensus Conference on Management

     of Asymptomatic Ovarian and Other Adnexal Cysts

                           Imaged on Ultrasound

The SRU recently sponsored a consensus conference on management of asymptomatic ovarian and other adnexal cysts imaged on ultrasound. The conference, which was moderated by SRU Fellows Douglas (Rusty) Brown, MD and Deborah Levine, MD, was held October 27 and 28, 2009 in Chicago, IL, immediately prior to the society’s annual postgraduate course. The ultimate goal of the conference was to produce a summary of the most important issues regarding management of ovarian and other adnexal cysts and to arrive at a consensus on which cysts require imaging follow-up or surgery and which cysts do not require follow-up.

Faculty for the conference included participants from radiology, gynecology, including general gynecology, gynecologic oncology, reproductive endocrinology, and minimally invasive surgery, and pathology. The first day of the conference consisted of individual presentations and discussion by the panelists and observers.  During the evening a writing group drafted a consensus statement, which was reviewed and finalized on the second day. At a later date it will be submitted for publication to a major journal.

The basic conclusions of the conference are as follows: simple cysts are unlikely to become malignant. As such, we can ignore simple cysts less than 3 cm in premenopausal women and simple cysts less than 1 cm in postmenopausal women. Yearly ultrasound follow-up is recommended for simple cysts greater than 5 cm in premenopausal women and simple cysts greater than 1 cm in postmenopausal women. When cysts become greater than 7 cm, our ability to be confident that they are truly simple cysts diminishes, and alternative imaging or surgical removal should be considered.

Full details of the consensus conference, including discussion of other types of cystic masses, will be forthcoming.

As part of its mission to advance the science, practice, and teaching of ultrasound in radiology, the SRU has sponsored several consensus conferences in recent years, including conferences on post-menopausal bleeding, ultrasound evaluation of the carotid artery, and ultrasound evaluation of thyroid nodules.  All of these conferences have resulted in papers that were published both in major radiology journals and in other subspecialty journals. In addition, the SRU has provided funding for research projects related to the outcomes of the conferences.  The SRU Foundation, a charitable arm of the SRU, is dedicated to supporting consensus conferences and ultrasound-related research projects.

The SRU has joined the Alliance for Radiation Safety in Pediatric Imaging, an initiative of the Society for Pediatric Radiology.  The Alliance recently launched Phase 2 of its Image Gently campaign, Resources for Parent Education.  For more information on the Image Gently campaign, please click on the link to the right.

The American College of Radiology has launched a website called ACRIVS (ACR International Volunteer System) to provide access to its members and other visitors interested in providing assistance to countries outside the United States.  The major goal of ACRIVS is to provide a marketplace for donors and facilities to match their needs and supplies.  To access the site, please click on the link to the right.