Various sonographic appearances of the hemorrhagic corpus luteum cyst.

Although hemorrhagic corpus luteum cysts are frequently seen during sonography of the female pelvis, their diagnosis is often challenging as a result of variations in size, thickness of the cyst wall, and internal echo pattern depending on the formation and lysis of the clot. There are cases in which hemoperitoneum is the most obvious finding. The differential diagnosis is extensive and includes ectopic pregnancy, adnexal torsion, neoplasm, and pelvic inflammatory disease. This review describes and illustrates the diverse appearances of the hemorrhagic corpus luteum, as well as other etiologies of adnexal pathology that can mimic the appearance of a hemorrhagic corpus luteum sonographically.