Question 1

i am worried i have ovarian cancer.  i have had some pelvic pain for three months.  i've had ultrasound , ca125 and mri scan.  all show nothing.

Accepted Answer

Promising: There are many causes for pelvic pain. The test results you have shared sound very reasonable.  Talk to you doctor about whether a diagnostic laparoscopy might help shed additional light on the nature of your pain.  Endometriosis is one example of a pain-related diagnosis that is hard to document on scans and on lab work.

Question 2

can a internal ultrasound detect ovarian cancer? or at least show if there's something suspicious going on ?

Accepted Answer

Yes, but: A transvaginal ultrasound(US )and or abdominal ultrasound can often detect enlargement the ovary in ovarian cancer. However screening US are not recommended as there are many conditions that can cause ovarian enlargement besides cancer, most all of them benign. The most important approach is to check US in women with persistent unexplained abdominal or urinary symptoms.

Question 3

can a pelvic ultrasound detect ovarian cancer? what are the chances of having a normal scan and still having it?

Accepted Answer

Fairly reliable test: Pelvic ultrasound is fairly reliable to detect masses or fluid collections in the pelvis. It will also pick up most cases of Ovarian Cancer. So a normal ultrasound rules out obvious Ovarian cancer. Yet it can miss small tumors arising from the ovary. I think you can relax and not worry about missing cancer if you have no pelvic or abdominal symptoms... which can be quite subtle for ovarian cancer.

Question 4

i had a bunch of cyst on my ovaries that were detected during a ct scan, and i got a vaginal ultrasound a month later, and they were all gone. i recently had an abnormal pap(agus), and the colposcopy was negative. could this mean ovarian cancer?

Accepted Answer

Unlikely: All laboratory results need to be interpreted in the clinical context and the doctor who ordered the tests is usually in the best position to do that. Talk to the doctor who ordered the tests. Having said that, what you described does not suggest ovarian cancer.
Wish you good health! - Have a diet rich in fresh vegetables, fruits, whole grains, milk and milk products, nuts, beans, legumes, lentils and small amounts of lean meats. Avoid saturated fats. Drink enough water daily, so that your urine is mostly colorless. Exercise at least 150 minutes/week and increase the intensity of exercise gradually. Do not use tobacco, alcohol, weed or street drugs in any form. 
Practice safe sex, if you have sex. 
Get HPV vaccine

Question 5

can you trust the diagnosis of ovarian cancer that is detected through a ct scan and ultrsound?

Accepted Answer

Not very reliable: Ultrasound, ct, tumor marker evaluation, history, and physical exam have not been shown to be effective in adequately screening for this disease (even when used all together). This is a disease we don't really have a handle on right now. This doesn't mean patients who have pelvic pain or risk factors shouldn't be evaluated, but the tools available have not been shown to increase life expectancy.

Question 6

hello doctors, what does ovarian cancer look like on ultrasounds?

Accepted Answer

Mass or cystic mass: Ultrasound, done though the abdominal wall and transvaginally is used to examine the size shape and other characteristics of ovaries. Cancer may present as a mass in the ovary or a cyst or a combination of the two. Definitive diagnosis requires examination of suspect tissue by a pathologist. See this site for more info.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/ovarian-cancer/ds00293.

Question 7

what do you advise if i had an ultrasound done about a year ago, could i have gotten ovarian cancer since then.?

Accepted Answer

Ovarian cancer: It is theoretically possible, the ultrasound one year ago has no influence on future events.  Why do you think you might have ovarian cancer?  Best bet is to talk to your gyn.  If you have a genetic increased risk(BRCA carrier) or a strong family history, there may be a role for screening ultrasounds.

Question 8

ultrasound last august was fine feel symptoms of ovarian cancer now. from experience, have you seen ovarian cancer develop to late stages in this span?

Accepted Answer

Unlikely: Ovarian cancer (with exceptions) is very uncommon in women your age, even in those who carry a brca mutation (breast and ovary cancer gene). Not sure what you mean by "symptoms of ovarian cancer". Ovarian ca usually causes no symptoms until is well advanced and there are many other reasons for someone to have such symptoms. Talk to your gyn about it. Best to you.

Question 9

docs, could a pelvic ultrasound detect ovarian cancer?

Accepted Answer

Possibly.: A pelvic ultrasound could give valuable information regarding anatomic abnormalities in the ovaries (changes in size / shape and cystic versus solid nature of mass lesions).  Us is a common test in the initial workup of gynecologic tumors.  In order to prove a diagnosis of malignancy, cells or fluid or tissue would need to be sampled from the ovary or pelvis or abdomen and then studied in a lab.

Question 10

is it really true you cannot detect ovarian cancer with ultrasound? i heard of someone who had one and it found tumor.

Accepted Answer

NO: It is not true, it is easy relatively inexpensive safe test , with no radiation exposure.

Get Virtual Care

For Businesses

About Us

HealthTap Online Primary Care Doctors Accepting New Patients

Doctor answers about:

Does an ultrasound scan show ovarian cancer

A member asked:

I am worried i have ovarian cancer. i have had some pelvic pain for three months. i've had ultrasound , ca125 and mri scan. all show nothing.

A member asked:

Can a internal ultrasound detect ovarian cancer? or at least show if there's something suspicious going on ?

A member asked:

Can a pelvic ultrasound detect ovarian cancer? what are the chances of having a normal scan and still having it?

A member asked:

I had a bunch of cyst on my ovaries that were detected during a ct scan, and i got a vaginal ultrasound a month later, and they were all gone. i recently had an abnormal pap(agus), and the colposcopy was negative. could this mean ovarian cancer?

A member asked:

Can you trust the diagnosis of ovarian cancer that is detected through a ct scan and ultrsound?

A member asked:

Hello doctors, what does ovarian cancer look like on ultrasounds?

A member asked:

What do you advise if i had an ultrasound done about a year ago, could i have gotten ovarian cancer since then.?

A member asked:

Ultrasound last august was fine feel symptoms of ovarian cancer now. from experience, have you seen ovarian cancer develop to late stages in this span?

A member asked:

Docs, could a pelvic ultrasound detect ovarian cancer?

A member asked:

Is it really true you cannot detect ovarian cancer with ultrasound? i heard of someone who had one and it found tumor.

HealthTap Online Primary Care Doctors Accepting New Patients

Telemedicine

Primary Care

Manage Your Conditions

Women's Health

Children's Health

Men's Health

Senior Health

Wellness, Prevention & Lifestyle

Sexual Health

Mental & Behavioral Health

Travel Medicine

Urgent Care

Didn't find what you're looking for?

More of what we treat

Allergies

Antibiotics

Asthma

High Blood Pressure

Prescriptions

Type 2 Diabetes

For Businesses

Company

Health Content

Join Us

Download HealthTap

Questions?