Volumes of normal ovaries, ovaries with benign lesions, and ovaries with cancer in menopausal women: is there an optimal cut-off value to predict malignancy?

Purpose: To evaluate different ovarian volume cut-off values to distinguish between normal ovaries, benign lesions, and malignant lesions in menopausal women.

Methods: Transvaginal sonographic ovarian volume measurements were performed in 362 menopausal patients prior to gynecologic surgery. Based on the histopathologic results, a total of 466 ovaries were divided into 3 groups: normal ovary, benign lesion, and malignant tumor. Different ovarian volume cut-off values were analyzed via receiver operating characteristic curves to determine the optimal cut-off value.

Results: The mean ovarian volumes in the normal ovary, benign lesion, and malignant tumor groups were 3.4 +/- 2.2 cm3 (range, 0.6-9.6 cm3), 102 +/- 308 cm3 (range, 0.3-3543 cm3), and 368 +/- 1176 cm3 (range, 8.1-9908) cm3, respectively. Cut-off values of 8 cm3 and 10 cm3 to distinguish between malignant and nonmalignant lesions had a sensitivity of 100% and 97% and a specificity of 39% and 45%, respectively.

Conclusion: In menopausal patients, any ovary with a volume >8 cm3 can potentially harbor a cancer.