[Serum testosterone level in the diagnosis of virilizing ovarian neoplasms]

The paper is concerned with the results of investigation of 15 patients with virile ovarian tumors (VOT). The following methods were employed for instrumental diagnosis: USI, computerized tomography and laparoscopy. Hormonal investigation included the determination of basal levels of serum testosterone (T), excretion with urine of 17-ketosteroids and their time course against a background of suppression tests with dexamethasone and stimulation tests with CG. The results of hormonal investigations were compared with those of similar investigations of 14 patients with stromal ovarian thecomatosis and 8 patients with androgen producing adrenal tumors. Ovarian tumors were detected in 40% by instrumental and clinical methods. Hormonal studies revealed a high level of T in patients with virile ovarian and adrenal tumors exceeding 3-3.8-fold a similar indicator in patients with stromal thecomatosis. All patients with a "tumor" level of T underwent laparotomy after excluding an adrenal lesion. Ovarian tumors of 1.0-2.5 cm in diameter were detected.