Endometriosis of the abdominal wall: ultrasonographic and Doppler characteristics

L Savelli, L Manuzzi, Lisa Manuzzi, N Di Donato, Nadine Di Donato, N Salfi, G Trivella, M Ceccaroni, Marcello Ceccaroni, Renato Seracchioli, R Seracchioli
Ultrasound in obstetrics & gynecology : the official journal of the International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology · 2011 · vol. 39(3) , pp. 336–340 · doi:10.1002/uog.10052 · PMID:21793086 · W2030212359
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⚙ AI-generated summary by claude@2026-06, 2026-06-09 ⓘ

This study describes the ultrasonographic and Doppler characteristics of abdominal wall endometriosis, identifying hypoechoic nodules with ill-defined borders as key diagnostic features.

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Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To describe the sonographic and clinical features of abdominal wall endometriosis (AWE), a frequently misdiagnosed condition. METHODS: This was a retrospective study of 21 consecutive women with pathologically proven endometriosis of the abdominal wall. Ultrasonographic and Doppler examinations were performed, before surgery, with a high-frequency linear transducer. The clinical data and the results of the sonographic examinations were reviewed and described. RESULTS: At ultrasound, all the nodules appeared as discrete solid masses that were less echogenic than the surrounding hyperechoic fat. The nodules had a median diameter of 20 (range, 5-50) mm and in 18/21 (86%) cases the nodules had a round/oval shape. In eight of 21 (38%) women the AWE was located at the umbilicus, in six of 21 (29%) it was between the transverse suprapubic line and the umbilicus, in five of 21 (24%) it was found along the scar of a previous Cesarean section and in two of 21 (9%) it was in the right inguinal canal. The content was homogeneously hypoechoic in 12/21 (57%) women and inhomogeneous in the other nine (43%). The outer borders were invariably ill defined. Scarce blood vessels were found by power Doppler. Cyclic or continuous spontaneous pain at the level of the AWE was present in 19/21 (91%) cases, and two (9%) patients were asymptomatic. CONCLUSIONS: Hypoechoic round/oval nodules with ill-defined borders and a hyperechoic rim should raise the suspicion of abdominal wall endometriosis, even in patients with no history of endometriosis or previous laparotomic surgery. Pressing the ultrasound probe against the nodule should reinforce a suspected diagnosis because of the pain it induces.

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Condition tags

mesh:D004715endometriosis

MeSH descriptors

Abdominal Wall Cesarean Section Cicatrix Endometriosis Pain Ultrasonography, Doppler Abdominal Wall Abdominal Wall Abdominal Wall Adult Cesarean Section Cicatrix Cicatrix Cicatrix Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Female Humans Middle Aged

Citation neighborhood

Papers in the corpus that this work cites (lower rings, blue) and that cite this one (upper rings, green). Dot size scales with the paper's in-corpus citation count — bigger dot = more influential within the endo/adeno field. Click a dot to open that paper. [ expand to 2 hops ] — adds papers reached through this work's immediate citers/citees. Heavier; up to 60 extra dots.

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Cited by (50)

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