Review Article

Benign and Suspicious Ovarian Masses—MR Imaging Criteria for Characterization: Pictorial Review

Table 1

MRI Criteria for benign and suspicious adnexal lesions.

BenignMalignant

Principal criteria
Size<4 cm>4 cm
Solid componentsNoSolid part of the mass with heterogeneous enhancement pattern
Cystic massSimpleWith vegetation and internal structures
Thickness of wall or septa<3 mm>3 mm
Lobulated massNoYes
CalcificationsWall of cyst, dense Tiny amorphic
NecrosisNoYes
Papillary projectionsNoYes, with heterogeneous enhancement pattern
Tumor vesselsNoYes, with heterogeneous enhancement pattern

Additional criteria
Lymph nodesNormal (short axis <1 cm)Enlarged (short axis >1 cm)
Peritoneal implantsNoYes