title: Ovarian vein thrombosis: analysis of patient age, etiology, and side of involvement.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze the age distribution, underlying etiology, and side of involvement in patients diagnosed with ovarian vein thrombosis (OVT).
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective study was conducted at Christiana Care Health System to identify all patients with an imaging diagnosis of OVT from January 2003 to September 2010. The data collected on this patient population included patient age, etiology, imaging modality used for diagnosis, side of involvement, as well as renal vein and inferior vena cava involvement.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 26 patients were diagnosed with OVT. The age distribution in patients with ovarian vein thrombosis ranged from 21 to 91. Ovarian vein thrombosis was diagnosed by computed tomography (CT) in 85 percent (22/26) of patients and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in 15 percent (4/26) of patients. The most common etiologies were underlying malignancy (27 percent, 7/26) and non-pregnancy related pelvic surgery (23 percent, 6/26). The postpartum state accounted for only 12 percent (3/26) of the cases. Thrombosis occurred in left ovarian vein in 50 percent (13/26), in the right ovarian vein in 42 percent (11/26), and bilaterally in 8 percent (2/26) of patients. Associated thrombus in the left renal vein was observed in 12 percent (3/26), and in the inferior vena cava in 15 percent (4/26) of patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In our clinical practice, ovarian vein thrombosis is primarily diagnosed with computed tomography (CT) and less frequently via magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). In contrast to most of the published data, which emphasizes occurrence of OVT in women of child bearing age and postpartum state, in our series we found it occurred over a broad age distribution. There were a wide range of underlying etiologies. Half of the cases of ovarian vein thrombosis unilaterally involved the left ovarian vein, unlike the overwhelming right sided predominance reported by most other studies.
authors.affiliation: Christiana Care Health System, Newark, Del, USA.
authors.forename: Mandip S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Gakhal
authors.forename: Howard M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Levy
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Spina
authors.forename: Clinton
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wrigley
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D010049:Ovarian Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology*; D010053:Ovary / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D012082:Renal Veins / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods; D014682:Vena Cava, Inferior / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D020246:Venous Thrombosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media