0:00

Let's begin with the expected location of

0:03

the uterus and ovaries in the female pelvis.

0:06

This is a sagittal, T2-weighted MRI of the

0:09

pelvis, and we can see the uterus here.

0:12

It's interposed between the urinary bladder,

0:15

which is filled with T2-bright urine,

0:17

and the rectum and sacrum posteriorly.

0:20

The uterus is a pear-shaped organ.

0:23

We can see the three distinct

0:25

layers of the uterus.

0:26

We have the endometrium, the

0:28

myometrium, and the junctional zone,

0:31

which is this T2-dark region here.

0:33

The junctional zone is also myometrium.

0:36

It's muscular tissue, but it's more densely

0:38

packed, and there's less water content, which

0:40

is why it looks dark on T2-weighted imaging.

0:44

We can also see the anterior lip of the

0:46

cervix and the posterior lip of the cervix,

0:49

as well as the vagina, which is collapsed.

0:51

We have some T2-bright Nabothian

0:53

cysts within the cervix here.

0:56

I'd like to take a moment to talk about

0:58

version and flexion of the uterus.

1:00

Version refers to the orientation of

1:03

the cervix, and flexion refers to the

1:05

orientation of the uterine fundus.

1:07

And so this patient is slightly anteverted

1:10

and retroflexed in terms of uterine position.

1:13

This is an axial nonfat-saturated T2 image

1:16

of the pelvis where we can again see the

1:18

uterus and those three distinct layers.

1:21

Myometrium, junctional zone, and endometrium.

1:25

We also see the ovaries in this image.

1:28

You will typically see them lateral

1:31

to the uterus along the course

1:32

of the external iliac vessels.

1:35

In patients who have follicles, typically

1:37

premenopausal patients, you'll be able

1:40

to identify the ovaries on MRI and often

1:43

on CT or ultrasound by the follicles,

1:45

which appear T2-bright on MR imaging.

1:49

Thank you.