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Selective Venous Sampling Prompting Unilateral Oophorectomy in an Adolescent With PCOS and Markedly Elevated
Kelsee Halpin1, Emily Paprocki1, Paige Eickhoff2
1Division of Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes, Children's Mercy Kansas City, Kansas City, Missouri; University of Missouri-Kansas City - School of Medicine, Kansas City, Missouri.
Background:
For adolescents with suspected polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and severely elevated testosterone concentrations, imaging is recommended to assess for neoplasm. Selective venous sampling (SVS) can be considered when imaging is nondiagnostic.
Case:
An adolescent female treated for PCOS had a peak testosterone of 344 ng/dL (11.9 nmol/L). Imaging did not localize a mass. SVS implicated the right ovary as the source of hyperandrogenism. Following laparoscopic right oophorectomy, pathology excluded a neoplasm and confirmed PCOS. She subsequently had rapid and persistent improvement in her hyperandrogenism.
Summary And Conclusion:
Striking testosterone elevation can occur with adolescent PCOS. SVS is a tool for localizing the source of severe hyperandrogenism, yet unilaterality is not always diagnostic of a neoplasm. Unilateral oophorectomy could nonetheless be therapeutic for severe PCOS.

