MRI in the assessment of prolapsed pedunculated submucous leiomyomas: two case reports

Uterine leiomyomas are the most common benign gynecological tumors affecting 20-30% of women in reproductive age. Despite their benignity, in some cases several symptoms may require surgical intervention. Submucosal leiomyomas are less frequent (5-10%), but are usually symptomatic. Approximately 2.5% of the myomas are pedunculated and can protrude in the cervical canal. Symptomatic leiomyomas can be treated either by hysterectomy or myomectomy, and these procedures can be performed with several techniques. Whenever possible, hysteroscopic myomectomy is better because it has many advantages, as it also preserves future fertility. Two interesting cases of prolapsed pedunculated submucous leiomyomas are reported in order to prove that magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is essential to choose the most appropriate treatment and to perform an adequate presurgical planning, which must be based on an overall assessment of the leiomyoma's characteristics (number, location, size and presence or absence of a stalk) and the patient's characteristics.