Hysterosalpingography findings of leiomyomas and how they look in artistic eyes: new diagnostic signs

Abstract

Leiomyomas are benign lesions of the uterine smooth muscles that contain various amounts of fibrous connective tissue. Hystrosalpingography is not a method of diagnosing uterine fibroids, and other methods such as ultrasound and MRI are preferred, but during hystrosalpingography, especially in infertile females, uterine fibroids may be seen frequently. Leiomyomas have a wide range of appearances depending on their number, size and location. Leiomyomas may enlarge, elongate, displace, distort or rotate the uterine cavity and can be detected by such changes showing in hysterosalpingograms. These changes may be symmetric or asymmetric. Leiomyomas may result in uterine atony which can be locolized or generalized. Leiomyomas also may appear as one or multiple filling defects in different sizes which can be smooth or irregular. Some of the noted findings may create similar and frequent appearances looking like some patterns in nature and can be considered “excellent signs” for better detecting and enabling differential diagnosis. This study aims to improve the process of training on the diagnostic appearances of leiomyomas in hysterosalpingography by aligning the images with patterns found in nature that can be easily remembered by radiologists.