Ovarian neoplasms of childhood

Ovarian neoplasms are rare in children. Although usually asymptomatic, they sometimes present with abdominal pain, abdominal distension or palpable mass. The distribution of neoplasms in the pediatric population is different from in adults; benign mature cystic teratoma is the most common ovarian tumor in children. Radiologists should be familiar with the variable sonographic, CT and MRI findings of ovarian neoplasms. Although the less frequently encountered ovarian malignancies cannot be reliably distinguished by imaging alone, it does play an important role in workup. This review discusses the imaging and relevant clinical manifestations of the more commonly encountered pediatric ovarian neoplasms.