Patient's question:
2001 year foundDoctor's answer:
The common features between the two are that both have a history of dysmenorrhea, while the differences lie in the following aspects: 1. Clinical manifestations generally show progressive worsening of dysmenorrhea in adenomyosis; 2. Under microscopic examination, if only endometrial stroma is observed without glandular tissue, it is referred to as stromal adenomyosis. Due to its biological behavior similar to malignancy, it is classified as low-grade malignant, differing from the benign characteristics of adenomyosis. Therefore, adenomyosis is currently considered as an independent gynecological disease. 3. The ultrasound imaging features are different: A. The uterus is asymmetrical in size but generally does not exceed the size of a 3-month pregnancy, losing its normal shape and presenting as a localized elevation; B. The internal echo of adenomyoma is heterogeneous, with unclear boundaries, irregular capsule margins, and the endometrial line anteriorly displaced in this area; C. Some patients may have scattered small dark areas (described as punctate echoes) within the mass during or after menstruation; D. Some patients may also have ovarian "chocolate cysts"; E. The main difference from uterine fibroids lies in the ultrasound findings. Most fibroids present as regular-shaped masses, while adenomyomas are characterized by thickened uterine wall with irregular margins. If the symptoms of adenomyosis are prominent, surgical removal of the uterus may be required, and severe endometrial hyperplasia may also be surgically treated. However, due to the extensive scope, postoperative painful nodules may still occur. Generally, the two conditions often coexist.