Incidental Gynecological Findings in Lumbar Spine MRI: The Prevalence of These Findings and Their Importance For Patient Management

Objective: To assess the prevalence of incidental gynecological findings in lumbar magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
Methods: We evaluated 299 patients who underwent lumber MRI in consideration of lumbar discopathy. Lumbar MRI was reported by an experienced radiologist. Ovarian cysts, endometrioma, uterine leiomyoma, adenomyosis, endometrial thickening, and nabothian cysts were included, in addition to gynecological malignancies.
Results: Of the 299 patients scanned, 43 had incidental extraspinal gynecological findings, and in four of these 43 patients, the findings had malignant potential.
Conclusion: It is recommended that radiologists give more attention to extraspinal gynecological findings in lumbar spine MRI, as the detected pathology can provide explanations for pain or can signal potentially life-threatening conditions.