Surgically transplanted ovary simulating a hepatic metastasis.

Area of Science:

• Radiology
• Surgical Oncology
• Abdominal Imaging

Background:

• Cross-sectional imaging interpretation can be confounded by anatomical alterations from prior surgeries.
• Diagnostic challenges are amplified when patient history or previous imaging studies are unavailable.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight a case where a repositioned ovary mimicked a hepatic metastasis on computed tomography (CT).
• To emphasize the importance of clinical history and prior imaging in preventing diagnostic errors in post-surgical patients.

Main Methods:

• A case report of a 29-year-old woman treated for cervical carcinoma with radical hysterectomy.
• One ovary was repositioned into the right paracolic gutter to avoid radiation fields.
• Subsequent CT examinations were reviewed for interpretive challenges.

Main Results:

• The repositioned ovary was misinterpreted as a hepatic metastasis on serial CT scans.
• The obscure patient history contributed significantly to the diagnostic difficulty.

Conclusions:

• Key diagnostic clues for differentiating surgical alterations from true pathology are presented.
• Adequate patient history and access to previous radiological examinations are vital for accurate interpretation and avoiding misdiagnosis.