Color me confused...

[mirmade]

..some of the medical jargon is baffling, and if the vernacular weren't enough, the dissemination of info from my doc does not help clarify.
So...am 41 yrs old. Early onset menarche, infertile, always had problems with ovarian cysts. Periods stopped in 2005. Lots of menopause symptoms.  Family history, Mother and maternal grandmother both had CA, mother CA of ovaries & cervix/uterus, grandma uterine ca.
Never conceived children. The plethora of symptoms I will not recite here, suffice to say many.
Because of recent symptoms and also as routine U/S check up, my last 2 US tests show a tiny right ovary, a large left ovary with complex appearing heterogenous  mixed echotexture mass of uncertain significance with lengthy differential diagnosis. Since all medical costs are out of pocket, I am trying to decide if it's necessary to keep appt with onc gyn my primary doc referred me to, they also told me be prepared for MRI or CT scan, biopsy and possible surgery.

What the heck is a complex appearing heterogeneous mixed echotexture mass of uncertain significance with lengthy differential diagnosis?  To me, sounds like the radioligst himself was not sure what the images were showing with this mass/lesion.

PLEASE ...anyone, if you can shed light or educate me on this matter, maybe I can decide what is best thing to do.  My Mother had 5 abdominal surgeries to remove tumors before one biospy came back from cleveland clinic with malignant cells & they performed complete hysterectomy & took ovaries, etc out, she was in her late 20's.  She is now deceased.  On my father side there is history of colon and colo-rectal cancer.

THANKS for any/all helpful hints or explanatiions....!!!!

[Annekathryn Goodman, M.D.]

yup
I think "lengthy differential" means - it could be anything
best wishes

[Annekathryn Goodman, M.D.]

Hi there
thank you so much for your complete information.

You should that ovary removed.

You have risk factors for ovarian cancer:
-family history
-infertility
-an abnormal ultrasound finding

the actual US words mean the ovary is big, irregular, and does not look normal.

mixed means solid and cystic
heterogeneous means not just one type of tissue

xrays of any flavor are just 2 dimensional pictures of reality. They can only describe something. The diagnosis comes after the ovary is removed and evaluated microscopically

keep the appointment with the gyn onc. most abnormal ovarian changes are benign but why take the risk?
best wishes

[mirmade]

Thank you Dr. Goodman for the edifying words :)

Yes, I have gotten the impression that, best case scenario would be something like a dermoid tumor, and worst case.....whatever that might entail. Either way, seems prudent thing to do is have it removed & see what pathology of tumor is under microscopic exam.  
Only thing now I have difficulty wrapping my mind around is the phrase "lengthy differential diagnosis..." because all the reading I've done about radiological reports usually offfer SOME possibilities. But...maybe it's just the particular radioligist who read it, did not feel comfortable commiting to speculation ?!?

Ah well....at my age, those troublesome slimy organs known as ovaries..who needs 'em?

Thanks so much.

[mirmade]

The only other sentence on US reports ( abdominal and transvaginal) was that no simple cyst is identified on left ovary.  This in addition to the cryptic or vague-sounding report is what radiologist reported....