Ultrasound

I had a pelvic and transvaginal ultrasound today and was alarmed at how much bigger my right ovary looked than my left.  The right appeared to me like a big black mass on the screen, nearly perfectly round in shape, while the left was almost oblong shaped and a lot smaller than the right. (I'm basing this on where the technician clicked to mark the images and on what I saw with my completely untrained, ignorant eye).
The reason for the ultrasound actually had nothing to do with my ovaries, as my chief complaint has been a constant slight pressure on my right side and a frequent need to urinate, so I'm not overly concerned but more curious.  Is it normal to have two very different sized ovaries?  

[Elaine Brown, MD]

Hi!
Its such a shame that the techs aren't allowed to tell people what they are looking at! It would sure save a lot of anxiety!
It sounds to me like you have a simple cyst on your right ovary.  Remember that everything is magnified by the ultrasound, so it looks lots bigger than it really is.  If there is a sizeable cyst there, it could be what is causing your pressure sensation, and also could be pressing on and shrinking your bladder.  Simple cysts are almost always bening, and often go away on their own.  So your doctor may have you repeat an ultrasound in 3-4 months. That also depends on the size, if it is very large. 6-8 cm, it may need to be surgically removed, and analyzed to be sure its benign.
Then, finally, most of the time the ovaries are pretty similar in size, but usually not exactly the same size.
I hope this is helpful!
Dr B