Sonographic appearances of the wall of ovarian dermoid cysts

A review of the sonograms of 25 patients with proven ovarian benign cystic teratomas was undertaken to study the appearance of the tumor wall. It was partially or completely identified in 12 (48%), being most often thin and hypoechoic, relative to the more echogenic contents of the tumor and of the surrounding tissues. In one patient the dermoid cyst demonstrated a circumferential hyperechoic wall due to a thick layer of adipose tissue. This latter appearance is most specific but is rarely seen in dermoid tumors.