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What is the difference between all these cyst??

All the terms and names used for cysts that I have seen on here have confused me.  Can anyone tell me the difference between a fibroid, dermoid, endo, etc. And can they even really tell which one you have until they go in? Is a fibroid similar to a endometrioma?  Dermoid has hair and stuff can they tell that from an U/S?  What cyst can they tell for sure?  And can you have more than one kind of cyst? Any kind of info would be great.  Also i heard that endo and ovca mimic each others symptoms what about the other cyst?  What symptoms are the same?  My daughter was born three years ago and they never saw it my cyst than, so that means it grew between my last preg US and until now?  It was 10cm in Jan could it be alot bigger now?  

Well that is all just some things i would like cleared up

ty all

angela
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dum
Thanks for the comprehensive tutorial! :) Now with all these infinite fancy conditions a woman can get, I wish I were a man! Seriously, is there statistics available as to what % of women who in their lifetime never, ever get *any* of GYN problems?  What's your estimate, anybody here?  Those got to be the luckiest women in the world!
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Avatar universal
Dermoid tumors are also known as  teratomas, and in my opinion are the oddest of all the tumors.  These tumors can be cystic; in other words, they can contain as much or more fluid-like material than solids.  As previously stated, dermoids can contain hair, cartilage, teeth, and skin oil.   Often the hair growing inside can be rather long, and the teeth can be part of an incomplete jaw.   When these contents, such as teeth and hair, can be imaged then the doctors are confident of the diagnosis.  However, when such contents cannot be imaged, then the doctors cannot readily discern a dermoid from an endometrioma; they appear much alike.

Dermoids that form on the ovaries are usually not malignant.  However, dermoids can form anywhere in the body, and can also form in men.  There is a particular type of dermoid that is most commonly found in young men (late teens, early twenties) that is all too frequently found to be malignant.
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A fibroid is a growth consisting of muscle and fibrous tissue that forms in the wall of the uterus.  These are almost never cancerous, but can cause heavy menstrual bleeding, frequent urination, abdominal swelling, bleeding between menstrual cycles, cramp-like pain, and in extreme cases, infertility.   Medical science has yet to determine the exact cause of fibroids, but estrogen levels (high) are believed to be a factor.
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Endometriomas, as explained by Dum, are cysts which form out of endometriosis implants.  These cysts  tend to swell and grow as part of the normal menstrual cycle, collecting additional bloody tissue each month.  This blood, over time, becomes dark, thus the common name of "chocolate cysts."  Endometriomas frequently have septations as well as solid components, and can grow rather large, rather quickly.
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Endometriosis most commonly causes adhesions to form over time.  These adhesions are essentially scar tissue, and form anywhere there are endometrial implants in the body - on the intestines and colon, bladder and ureter (I have a rather large one on my  bladder), the uterus (outside)...you name it and it likely has an implant adhesion.  So, the endometriosis and the endometrial implants grow and swell each month, causing the abdominal swelling, the pain, the need for frequent urination, the intestinal upsets, the cramping, the heavy periods... which all read a lot like the symptoms of some ovarian cysts!
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I should have added that endometrial implants and adhesions do NOT show on an ultrasound. Usually, doctors make a diagnosis of the condition by the symptoms of the patient.  It is my understanding that to give a 100% certain diagnosis of endometriosis requires surgery.  (Since it cannot be imaged, it cannot be visually diagnosed without going in and having a look.)  So, yes, it is quite likely that you have a map-like maze of endometrial implants and adhesions which are causing your symptoms, and yet it might not show on any imaging.
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dum
Hi MickeyVicki, I have been diagnosed endometriosis for some 15 years already. I took danazol on and off until about 3 years ago. If it grows month after month (I'm premennopausal), shouldn't there be a quite a mess inside me now? I have perhaps more symptoms (pains, tenderness, spotting, and especially clotting), but none of the abdomal or tv u/s detected anything, I mean *anything*.  I would have been glad if they found at least a cyst, small or large. But they found none, except a small fibroid that had been there for a couple years already.  I thought after quitting the danazol things could only get worse??  I'll be interested if you could offer some comments as you seem knowledgable. Thanks.
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dum
Thanks you, MickeyVicki and CindiSue! That's very informative! Perhaps I'm all mess inside now, too!  I don't know when I should have it checked out. I don't have severe pains (except a very bad cramp in my recent period), so the docs aren't suggesting anything. Which doc to see really makes difference.
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Avatar universal
all that information was taken from this site:

http://consumer.pdr.net/content/women_health/chapters/fgwh09.shtml

i highly recommend you read it as it gives more detailed information on symptoms, treatment, etc.
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Avatar universal
Polycystic Ovaries
In some women, the ovaries tend to develop numerous follicle cysts. You may hear this condition referred to as polycystic ovarian syndrome or "disease" (PCO), Stein-Leventhal Syndrome, or sclerocystic ovarian disease.

Actually polycystic ovaries are not a "disease" at all, but the result of a hormone imbalance that causes the persistent growth of follicular cysts accompanied, usually, by failure of one follicle to mature and succeed in ovulating. The condition is fairly common, affecting between 3.5 and 7 women in 100. It generally develops during the 30s, but can begin in adolescence. Many women with polycystic ovaries have no symptoms, but the condition can cause fertility problems, due to infrequent ovulation, and can result in excess body hair and weight problems, due to hormone imbalances.

Because women with polycystic ovaries rarely or never ovulate, their menstrual periods are generally irregular, often with many months between periods. When they do have a period, it may be quite heavy, since the lining of the uterus has continued to grow during the months since their last period. While polycystic ovaries do not themselves become cancerous, excessive growth of the uterine lining, or endometrium, is thought to increase the risk of cancer of the uterus (endometrial cancer).

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Endometrial Cysts
Endometrial cysts are also known as endometriomas or "chocolate cysts," because they are filled with dark blood that resembles chocolate syrup. These cysts form as the result of endometriosis, the disease in which patches of tissue from the uterine lining are found outside the uterus. In about half the cases of endometriosis, these patches appear in or on the ovaries.

With successive menstrual cycles, these misplaced pieces of endometrial tissue bleed, gradually forming endometrial cysts. Over time, the cysts grow, and some can eventually become as large as a grapefruit. Endometrial cysts can cover a large part of the ovary and prevent ovulation, resulting in infertility. Some women have no symptoms with an endometrial cyst; others have severe menstrual cramps, pain with intercourse, or pain during a bowel movement.

Although complications are infrequent, if a sizeable endometrial cyst ruptures, its contents can spill into the pelvic cavity, causing some internal bleeding. The material in the cyst may also spill onto the surface of other organs in the pelvis, such as the uterus, fallopian tubes, bladder, and intestines. This can cause the formation of scar tissue (adhesions), which in turn can cause pain and fertility problems. Other ovarian cysts, such as the follicle cyst, the simple serous cyst, and the corpus luteum cyst, may resemble a "chocolate cyst." An expert must examine the tissue under the microscope to make the diagnosis.

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Cystadenomas
Unlike functional ovarian cysts, which develop from variations in the normal function of the ovaries, or endometrial cysts, which are a consequence of endometriosis, or even polycystic ovaries, which result from hormone imbalance, cystadenomas are known as neoplasms, meaning "new growths." Ovarian neoplasms are new and abnormal formations that develop from the ovarian tissue. Cystadenomas are the most common type.

Cystadenomas are classified according to the type of fluid they contain. A serous cystadenoma is filled with a thin watery fluid and is relatively large, between 2 and 6 inches in diameter. This type most frequently appears in women in their 30s and 40s, but may occur in women between the ages of 20 and 50.

A serous cystadenoma usually causes no specific symptoms, unless it grows to be so large that it results in weight gain and a large abdomen. Generally, these cysts are discovered during a routine gynecological exam. Although considered a benign growth, they do have the potential to become malignant.

A mucinous cystadenoma is filled with a sticky, thick gelatinous material and can become enormous. While most are between 6 and 12 inches in diameter, there have been rare cases of gigantic tumors measuring up to 40 inches and weighing over 100 pounds. Mucinous cystadenomas develop most often in women between the ages of 30 and 50.

Although cystadenomas are almost always benign, complications may develop. If they grow very large, they can interfere with other abdominal organs, disturbing the normal functioning of the stomach, intestines, and bowel. They may also twist, rupture, or bleed. Keep in mind, though, that if you have regular gynecological exams, your doctor would probably discover a cystadenoma long before it could grow to its potentially enormous size.

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Avatar universal
I am the perfect example of this discussion! They thought I had a complex cyst on my right ovary, even though the pain I had was on the left. They could not determin anything much about the cyst and this bothered the doc enough to say to remove it.

Suprise, suprise. I was a total mess inside. My "cyst" was actaully where my right ovary was stretched around to the front of and attatched to my uterus and it's tube was attatched to my bladder. Now this is all on the FRONT of my uterus! Lots of endometriosis and adheasions!!

He was able to get it to move and get ti unstuck and save the ovary, tied the tube (planned).

The left was on the BACK of my uterus and would not budge it was so scarred over...you could only see shadows of it on the surgery photos! He had to remove it and the tube.

There was enodmetriosis (endo) and adheasions everywhere! All this mess only showed on an US as a small complex cyst which really wasn't a cyst at all! He cleaned me up as best he could and we will see how I do.

They really do not know untill they can see it. As you will read there is really no "clearing it up" before actual surgery for most of us. They can make educated guesses and do CT scans and MRIs that can sometimes show more but not always does.

And, yes, There are alot of terms and some are actually interchangable so keep reading and good luck. The gals here are great!   Cindi
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Dermoid Cysts
Dermoid cysts are also ovarian neoplasms. They are so named because they contain skin or related tissue such as hair, teeth, or bone. They are also known as benign cystic teratomas, teratoma meaning a tumor consisting of skin and hair tissue. Dermoid cysts contain this unusual type of tissue because they develop from the ovary's germ cells, the cells that normally produce the egg and contain the forerunner of all human tissues. Dermoid cysts may be present from birth, but rarely grow large enough to be noticed until adulthood.

Dermoid cysts are quite common, and although they can occur in women of any age, they most frequently affect women between the ages of 20 and 40. They generally measure between 2 and 4 inches in diameter, and usually cause no symptoms unless they become so large that they press on the intestines, bladder, or rectum. While these growths are almost always benign, there is about a 1 percent chance that a malignancy could develop. As is true of most types of cysts, the dermoid may be prone to bleeding, rupture, or twisting on its stem.

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Functional Cysts
Cysts that develop as part of the natural function of the ovary are dubbed "functional cysts." There are two types, the follicle cyst and the corpus luteum cyst.

Follicle Cysts can develop in two ways: during ovulation when the follicle ruptures to release the egg, or when a developing follicle fails to rupture, leaving the follicle, or sometimes several follicles, to continue to enlarge. Follicle cysts rarely grow larger than three inches in diameter, and usually rupture or shrink after one or two menstrual cycles.

Because these cysts are usually painless, most women are unaware of them. However, when one ruptures, perhaps during sexual intercourse, you may experience intense abdominal pain that is often worsened by physical activity. The pain usually subsides after a day or two but quite often is severe enough to bring you to the emergency room. You may also experience abdominal discomfort if, in response to fertility drugs, several follicle cysts begin to grow.

Corpus Luteum Cyst. The corpus luteum that forms after ovulation is also a cyst-like structure, and it is very prone to the development of fluid or blood-filled cysts that can grow from the size of an egg to the size of a softball.

Unlike follicle cysts, corpus luteum cysts usually cause pain on only one side of the lower abdomen. If you have a corpus luteum cyst, you may be experiencing menstrual changes such as late periods or bleeding between periods. Because this set of symptoms is also associated with the dangerous condition known as tubal or ectopic pregnancy, you should be sure to go to a doctor.

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dum
As I understand it, fibroids are in the uterus, and are tumors (solid growth). Endometriomas are endometriosis cysts, not tumor, and are more often in or around the ovaries, fallopian tubes, etc. They are unrelated and one can have both.
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