Imaging in gynaecological disease: clinical and ultrasound characteristics of mucocele of the appendix. A pictorial essay.

The aim of this pictorial essay is to describe the ultrasound characteristics of the mucocele of the appendix (MA) by transvaginal ultrasound. The databases of the pathology and gynaecology departments of two Belgian hospitals were retrospectively searched for all cases of MA. Only patients who received a pre-operative transvaginal ultrasound scan by an experienced ultrasound examiner following the IOTA protocol were included. Ultrasound -characteristics were described and pattern recognition was applied in order to find morphological characteristics typical for MA. Thirty-one cases were found of which five underwent a transvaginal ultrasound. In three out of these five cases a mucocele was described. All three masses had a similar morphology, i.e. a para-ovarian uni-locular tubular mass with a color score of 1. A typical characteristic was the aspect of the cyst content, which resembled whipped cream. Although MA is seldom diagnosed by gynaecologists, transvaginal ultrasound is able to make an accurate diagnosis. MA is a -para-ovarian, unilocular tubular mass that typically has a cyst content that resembles whipped cream.