A comprehensive retrospective study has identified significant differences in the clinical presentation and ultrasound characteristics between usual-type uterine fibroids and their variant forms. Uterine fibroids, or leiomyomas, are common benign smooth muscle tumors of the uterus. While prevalent in women of reproductive age, they can present differently post-menopause.
The analysis included 1,766 patients. Variant fibroids were more frequently observed in postmenopausal women compared to usual-type fibroids. These variant leiomyomas were generally larger, with a median maximum diameter of 82.5 mm versus 70 mm for usual-type fibroids. They were also more likely to contain cystic areas and showed fewer acoustic shadows.
Specific subtypes displayed unique features: epithelioid leiomyomas were the largest variants, while mitotically active fibroids showed uniform echostructure. The study identified 13 distinct ultrasound patterns, some correlating with specific variant subtypes. Though a single-center study, these findings provide a valuable reference for improving diagnostic confidence and subtype-specific evaluation of benign uterine tumors.