ovarian cyst

(noun)

Any collection of fluid, surrounded by a very thin wall, within an ovary; any ovarian follicle that is larger than about two centimeters is termed an ovarian cyst.

Related Terms

Examples of ovarian cyst in the following topics:

  • Ovarian Cysts

    • An ovarian cyst is a fluid-filled vacuole within or on an ovary.
    • Any ovarian follicle that is larger than about two centimeters is termed an ovarian cyst.
    • Ovarian cysts affect women of all ages.
    • Some ovarian cysts cause problems, such as bleeding and pain.
    • About 95% of ovarian cysts are benign .

  • Abdominopelvic Regions

    • Pain in this region is generally associated with colitis (inflammation of the large intestine) as well as pelvic inflammatory disease and ovarian cysts in females.

  • Ovarian Cancer

    • Ovarian cancer arises from the epithelial layer of the ovary and in some cases, the fallopian tube.
    • Ovarian cancer is a cancerous growth arising from the ovary.
    • In most cases, the exact cause of ovarian cancer remains unknown.
    • The risk of developing ovarian cancer appears to be affected by several factors.
    • The more children a woman has, the lower her risk of ovarian cancer.

  • Hydatid Disease

    • Hydatid disease, also referred to as cystic echinococcosis, is characterized by the slow growth of large cysts within various organs.
    • Cysts are typically found in the liver and in the thorax or abdominal cavity.
    • However, the growth of these cysts are slow and may go unnoticed for a significant duration of time.
    • The oncospheres undergo further growth and form cysts.
    • Hydatid disease is characterized by the growth of these cysts into the adult stage for the tapeworm.

  • Amoebic Dysentery (Amoebiasis)

    • The infective cysts are passed via infected stool.
    • Upon ingestion of contaminated foods or water, the cysts will move into the intestinal area.
    • These cysts are protected from stomach acids and are able to evade destruction.
    • Once in the intestine, the cyst breaks open and releases the amoebas which then burrow into and damage the intestinal walls.
    • The amoebae or trophozoites are able to divide via binary fission and and produce cysts.

  • Polycystic Kidney Disease

    • PKD is characterized by the presence of multiple cysts (hence, "polycystic"), typically in both kidneys.
    • The cysts are numerous and are fluid-filled, resulting in massive enlargement of the kidneys.
    • ADPKD is characterized by progressive cyst development and bilaterally enlarged kidneys with multiple cysts.
    • Under the function of gene defect, epithelial cells of renal tubule turn into epithelial cells of cyst wall after phenotype change and begin to have the function of secreting cyst fluid, which leads to continuous cysts enlargement.
    • The major extrarenal complications of ADPKD include cerebral aneurysms, hepatic cysts, pancreatic cysts, cardiac valve disease (especially mitral valve prolapse), colonic diverticula, and aortic root dilatation.

  • Female Hormones

    • The stages of the ovarian cycle in the female are regulated by hormones secreted by the hypothalamus, pituitary, and the ovaries.
    • The first half of the ovarian cycle is the follicular phase.
    • Following ovulation, the ovarian cycle enters its luteal phase and the menstrual cycle enters its secretory phase, both of which run from about day 15 to 28.
    • Rising and falling hormone levels result in progression of the ovarian and menstrual cycles.
    • The ovarian and menstrual cycles of female reproduction are regulated by hormones produced by the hypothalamus, pituitary, and ovaries.

  • Ovaries

    • The ovaries are located in the lateral wall of each side of the pelvis in a region called the ovarian fossa.
    • In humans, the paired ovaries lie within the pelvic cavity on either side of the uterus, to which they are attached via a fibrous cord called the ovarian ligament.
    • The uterine extremity points downward and is attached to the uterus via the ovarian ligament.
    • The developing egg cell (or oocyte) grows within the environment provided by ovarian follicles.

  • Ovarian Cycle

    • The rise in FSH levels recruits five to seven tertiary-stage ovarian follicles (also known as Graafian or antral follicles) for entry into the menstrual cycle.
    • Ovulation is the phase in which a mature ovarian follicle ruptures and discharges an ovum (also known as an oocyte, female gamete, or egg).
    • The ovarian cycle is the series of changes that occur in the ovary during the menstrual cycle that cause maturation of a follicle, ovulation, and development of the corpus luteum.

  • Purification of Drinking Water

    • Larger pathogens such as giardia lamblia and cryptosporidium are trapped in these filters, but the cysts they produce are small enough to pass through.
    • Although chlorine is very effective against bacteria, it is not as effective against the cysts formed by protozoans (like giardia lamblia and cryptosporidium).
    • Ozone is widely used in Europe, and is an effective method to kill cysts formed by protozoans.
    • Ultraviolet Light is very effective at inactivating protozoan cysts, and will also kill bacteria and viruses.