Ultrasound Characteristics of Cystadenofibromas: A Retrospective Multicenter Study

Cystadenofibromas (CAFs) are relatively rare benign ovarian tumors. This study was to describe the ultrasound (US) findings of CAFs. Preoperative US information of 86 CAFs was retrospectively collected. To better illustrate their characteristic, 173 cystadenomas (CADs), 103 borderline ovarian tumors (BOTs), and 129 cystadenocarcinomas (CACs) were recruited as match groups. Besides morphology evaluation, tumors were categorized by the Ovarian-Adnexal Reporting and Data System US system. Higher-risk stratification in CAFs was more often being seen than CADs (63% of CAFs classified as Ovarian-Adnexal Reporting and Data System 4 or 5 vs 35% in CADs). Cystadenofibromas more commonly appeared as unilocular or multilocular solid than CADs. Solid components presented in 59% of CAFs and papillary projections presented in 45%. More CAFs contained solid components and papillary projections than CADs (P < 0.0001). When compared with BOTs and CACs, less CAFs contained solid components (P < 0.017 and P < 0.0001). However, no significant difference was found in CAFs versus BOTs or CACs about the presence of papillary projections. Shadowing was identified in 58% of CAFs; however, in CADs, BOTs, and CACs, the proportion was 2%, 11%, and 11%, respectively. Presence of shadowing in CAFs was noticeably more than CADs, BOTs, and CACs (P < 0.017 or P < 0.0001). Similar to CADs, most CAFs were avascular (76%) and without ascites (99%), which were significantly different from BOTs and CACs. We concluded that the sonographic markers for CAFs that differ from malignant were presence of shadowing, avascular, and absence of ascites.