What does a uterus that is heterogeneous in echo texture indicate?

[Amyflood246]

Does anybody know what this scan report indicates please? It says my endometrium is regular online but the uterus appears heterogeneous in echo texture? Thank you

[claudia_91 Moderator Endometriosis UK]

Hi Amyflood246

Thanks for your post. I'm afraid I can't offer an explanation for this term! It would be best to contact the hospital or your GP surgery and ask for them to describe what the terminology means. Hope you get some answers soon 😊

Take care,

Claudia

[Amyflood246 in reply to claudia_91]

Thank you! I’m speaking to the GP on Thursday so hopefully get some answers xx

[Lindle]

This means that the texture of your uterus consists of elements that are not of the same kind or nature - so not consistently the same. This can be non-specific but is a typical feature of adenomyosis.

This is a very basic scan done by a general sonographer who will only be trained to look at the reproduction organs. So it would have missed any deep endo should you have it - mild endo doesn't show on ultrasound. A retroverted uterus can be normal but also can be a sign of rectovaginal endo. Just be sure that this report isn't used to say you don't have endo as it isn't expert enough.

[Amyflood246]

Hi, what do you mean by non specific? I’ve already been diagnosed with endo, I was just looking at my scan reports and noticed this, I also noticed that my endometrium is quite thick do you think it’s a cause for concern? Xx

[Ecorc]

Hey, I’ve had scans to look at that too and it can mean adenomyosis. Homogeneous means all uniform in texture and heterogeneous means irregular. So it could indicate some scarring from the adenomyosis. However, the sonographers aren’t allowed to diagnose on scan, just state what they see. So if you went to the docs they’d probably say the same as me - that it hints at adenomyosis but could only be confirmed through laparoscopy. Have you had surgery on your endo? I did last year when they found adeno and it explains why my periods are still painful even though they’ve removed the endo. I’m trying to manage mine with diet but if your pain is bad then hormone therapy is usually what they recommend - the mirena coil especially is meant to slow down the growth and manage pain but I haven’t tried it so def don’t quote me!

[Amyflood246 in reply to Ecorc]

Hi thank you for replying, I haven’t had a laparoscopy as she said I was too overweight but diagnosed endo based on my symptoms, she told me I could either go on the pill or have the coil and I’m leaning towards the coil, I have a GP appt on Thursday so I’m going to mention this scan report. What stage was your endo if you don’t mind me asking? Do you know whether endo can stay at stage 1 or will it always progress to stage 4? Also what were your symptoms? My periods aren’t particularly painful or heavy (only sometimes) but I have intermittent pain through the month xx

[Ecorc]

So I was a bit of an odd case in that I was diagnosed with endo through them finding an ovarian cyst (endometrioma) that’s linked with stage 3/4 endo which I had drained during laparoscopy. They also found a tiny bit of endo outside the ovary when they operated which would be more like stage 1. They said I had a bulky uterus in keeping with adeno, but on my ultrasound scans, there’s no heterogeneity which means I haven’t got severe adeno if it’s there at all. That’s not to say yours is severe necessarily (but def good to get a medical opinion on it) and good your pain isn’t too bad. My symptoms are bad period pain that tends to be worst on day 1, then I feel v bloated and inflamed for the next few days but don’t tend to need pain relief after day 1. I also have v light periods but I’m not actually sure what’s normal with adeno xx

[Amyflood246 in reply to Ecorc]

So have you always had light periods? So you kind of had a bit of stage 1 and a bit of stage 4? That’s strange isn’t it! So what made you go and get looked at in the first place was it you painful periods? Xx

[Ecorc in reply to Amyflood246]

Weird isn’t it! Umm before I went on the pill at 17 they were much heavier but then lighter when I came off it at 27. Not sure if it’s related though! I got an initial ultrasound from v sudden pain from the ovarian cyst, honestly never felt anything like it, I nearly passed out! But other than that, I always thought my period pain was normal 🙈 which it obvs isn’t, it’s mad what we’re led to believe is normal as women!! What made you go for your scan? Xx

[Amyflood246 in reply to Ecorc]

I had a dull ache in pelvic area for couple of years, it wasn’t overly painful but I know it was there I was bad with my mental health at the time so I just ignored it, then I had a colposcopy done and a few weeks later the dull ache that I had got massively worse at first it was always there then it became intermittent and that’s how it’s stayed most of the time it’s manageable but now and then it becomes extreme, at the time they thought I had an infection so I had a few rounds of antibiotics and the pain didn’t go, i was told it could be polycystic ovaries but bloods and an ultrasound ruled that out then I was finally referred to gynea who did an ultrasound and they dismissed me saying it was bowel related which I knew it wasn’t so I left it a year and went back and this time they diagnosed me based on my symptoms, said I was to overweight to do a lap.Are your periods regular? xx