title: Rectus abdominis endometrioma.
abstract: A 31-year-old woman presented with complaints of increasingly severe right lower quadrant discomfort that had occurred for several days each month over the course of the previous 6 months. A tender mass of the abdominal wall was palpated on physical examination, and subsequent ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging disclosed a discrete mass of the body of the right rectus abdominis muscle which was confirmed as endometrial tissue on biopsy. Rectus abdominis endometrioma is a relatively rare cause of abdominal pain which may mimic an acute abdomen. Clinical clues to the diagnosis include previous uterine or gynecological surgery/invasive procedure (with preservation of ovarian function), cyclical nature of the discomfort, and the presence of a palpable mass with or without associated skin color changes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Western Pennsylvania Hospital, Pittsburgh, USA.
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Roberge
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Kantor
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Scorza
mesh_terms: D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000209:etiology*; D000328:Adult; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004638:Emergency Treatment / Q000379:methods; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007044:Hysterectomy / Q000009:adverse effects; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009135:Muscular Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D010173:Palpation; D010507:Periodicity; D017568:Rectus Abdominis; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed