Which statement is true regarding postmenopausal ovarian size?

Which statement is true regarding postmenopausal ovarian size?

• A. It should be less than 8 cc
• B. It should be exactly 8 cc
• C. It should be greater than 22 cc
• D. It cannot be measured

Answer: (A)

In postmenopausal women, ovaries typically atrophy and become small, so ultrasound measurements are used to confirm a normal small size. The normal postmenopausal ovary generally has a volume under about 8 cm^3. This reflects reduced follicular tissue and decreased hormonal activity after menopause. When an ovary measures larger than roughly 8 cm^3, it can raise concern for pathology such as a neoplasm, persistent cyst, or metastatic involvement, and may prompt further evaluation. Ultrasound estimates ovary volume using the ellipsoid formula from three measured dimensions, so this is a measurable, not unmeasurable, parameter. The other statements—being exactly 8 cm^3, needing to be greater than 22 cm^3 to be normal, or being unmeasurable—do not fit typical postmenopausal anatomy or the capabilities of ultrasound.

In postmenopausal women, ovaries typically atrophy and become small, so ultrasound measurements are used to confirm a normal small size. The normal postmenopausal ovary generally has a volume under about 8 cm^3. This reflects reduced follicular tissue and decreased hormonal activity after menopause. When an ovary measures larger than roughly 8 cm^3, it can raise concern for pathology such as a neoplasm, persistent cyst, or metastatic involvement, and may prompt further evaluation. Ultrasound estimates ovary volume using the ellipsoid formula from three measured dimensions, so this is a measurable, not unmeasurable, parameter. The other statements—being exactly 8 cm^3, needing to be greater than 22 cm^3 to be normal, or being unmeasurable—do not fit typical postmenopausal anatomy or the capabilities of ultrasound.