Ovarian cyst: Meaning in a Radiology Report

Also written as: adnexal cyst, follicular cyst, functional cyst, simple ovarian cyst

An ovarian cyst is a fluid-filled sac on or in an ovary. Most are a normal part of the monthly cycle and go away on their own.

What it means

Each month an ovary grows small fluid-filled sacs (follicles), and one releases an egg. A follicle that keeps growing, or the structure left after the egg is released, can look like a cyst. These functional cysts are the most common kind. Others include cysts of old blood (endometriomas), dermoid cysts and, less often, growths that need a closer look. A simple cyst has a thin wall and clear fluid only.

When it matters

Most ovarian cysts before menopause are functional and disappear within a few cycles. Simple cysts are almost always benign at any age. Radiologists may use the O-RADS system to rate the risk. Doctors look more closely at cysts with solid parts, thick inner walls or strong blood flow, and are more careful after menopause. Next steps may be a repeat ultrasound in a few weeks or months, an MRI, or a gynecologist's review.

Questions to ask your doctor

Does the cyst look simple, or does it have any solid parts?
Is this likely a cycle-related cyst that will go away on its own?
Do I need a repeat ultrasound, and at what point in my cycle?

General information, not medical advice. What a finding means for you depends on your symptoms, your history and the images themselves, so talk your results through with a doctor.