Age/sex: 35-year-old female
Size: 10.5 x 9.3 x 3.5 cm
The ovary has been replaced by a cystic tumor measuring 10 cm in greatest dimension. Its wall is mostly thin (1-2 mm) and smooth; however, on the back it is thickened and nodular. Four molar teeth can be seen in this region (arrow). The white nodule (N) beneath these is most likely skin.
Benign cystic teratoma (dermoid cyst)
A teratoma is a tumor composed of several histologically mature (adult) types of tissue that grow in a disorganized fashion, resulting in a solid or (more commonly) cystic mass. Skin, sometimes with abundant hair, is frequently seen (hence the name “dermoid” cyst); cartilage, bone, teeth, and respiratory type epithelium are also common. The tumor accounts for about 10 - 20% of all ovarian tumors. It is most often discovered in young women.
Cystic teratomas of the ovary are almost always benign - i.e., they do not invade the adjacent tissue or spread (metastasize) to other sites in the body. They are often discovered incidentally during investigation of abdominal pain. Occasionally, a tumor causes pain by exerting pressure on adjacent structures or after a decrease in blood flow following twisting (torsion). Surgical excision results in cure in almost all patients.
Below: Histologic appearance of a typical teratoma. B—bone; S—skin; F—fat
Source: Rajaram A. (2023). Ovary - teratoma.
