Pelvic venous insufficiency: imaging diagnosis, treatment approaches, and therapeutic issues

Abstract

OBJECTIVE. The purposes of this article are to review the causes of pelvic congestion syndrome and the imaging used to make the diagnosis and to summarize the treatment options. CONCLUSION. Pelvic congestion syndrome is one of many causes of chronic pelvic pain. It is thought to arise from ovarian and pelvic venous incompetence. Findings from various noninvasive imaging studies, such as Doppler ultrasound and MRI, in association with the clinical symptoms are critical in establishing the diagnosis.

Keywords: embolization; ovarian vein; pelvic pain; varices; varix; venous insufficiency.