Diagnostic Tests for Ovarian cysts

Diagnostic Test list for Ovarian cysts: The list of diagnostic tests mentioned in various sources as used in the diagnosis of Ovarian cysts includes:

• Pelvic examinations
• Ultrasound
• CA-125 blood test
• Laparoscopy
• Laparotomy

Tests and diagnosis discussion for Ovarian cysts: Ovarian cysts usually are found during routine pelvic examinations. During this examination, your doctor is able to feel the swelling of the cyst on your ovary. Once a cyst is found, the doctor may perform an ultrasound, or a screening to see if the cyst is hollow or solid, determine its size and exact location, and see if it contains fluid or abnormal structures that help show its type.¹

To detect your risk for ovarian cancer, your doctor may want to do a blood test to measure a substance in the blood called CA-125. The amount of this protein is increased in the blood of women with ovarian cancer. However, some ovarian cancers do not produce enough CA-125 to be detected by the test, and there are other non-cancerous diseases that also increase the levels of CA-125. For these reasons, the CA-125 test is recommended mostly for women who are at high risk for the disease.¹

Footnotes:
1. excerpt from Ovarian Cysts: NWHIC

Last revision: June 5, 2003

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