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Left ovary

The left ovary is one of the paired female gonads located in the pelvis. It is an almond-shaped organ responsible for oocyte production and the secretion of reproductive hormones. The ovary is both an exocrine and endocrine organ, playing a central role in fertility and menstrual cycle regulation. The left ovary is closely related to the sigmoid colon and left ureter, making it clinically significant in gynecology, oncology, and radiology.

Synonyms

  • Female gonad (left)

  • Left ovarian gland

  • Left adnexal ovary

Location

  • Lies in the ovarian fossa of the lateral pelvic wall

  • Positioned between the external iliac vessels (superiorly) and internal iliac vessels (posteriorly)

  • The left ovary is situated posterior to the broad ligament and is closely related to the sigmoid colon

Relations

  • Anteriorly: Broad ligament and fallopian tube

  • Posteriorly: Ureter and branches of the internal iliac vessels

  • Superiorly: Sigmoid colon

  • Inferiorly: Pelvic floor structures

  • Medially: Uterus (via the ovarian ligament)

  • Laterally: Pelvic wall and suspensory ligament of the ovary (containing ovarian vessels)

Function

  • Production of female gametes (oocytes)

  • Secretion of hormones: estrogen, progesterone, and inhibin

  • Regulation of the menstrual cycle

  • Maintenance of female secondary sexual characteristics

  • Support of reproductive function and fertility

Clinical Significance

  • Ovarian cysts: Functional or pathological, commonly imaged on ultrasound, MRI, or CT

  • Ovarian torsion: Emergency condition causing ischemia

  • Ovarian cancer: One of the most important gynecologic malignancies; staging often requires MRI/CT

  • Endometriosis: Ovarian endometriomas frequently affect the left ovary due to proximity to the sigmoid colon

  • Pelvic pain: Ovary is often evaluated in cases of acute or chronic pelvic pain

MRI Appearance

T1-weighted images:

  • Ovary appears as an oval structure with low-to-intermediate signal

  • Follicles appear as tiny hypointense cortical structures with intermediate stroma

T2-weighted images:

  • Ovarian stroma shows intermediate to high signal

  • Follicles appear as bright hyperintense round structures

  • Corpus luteum may show variable signal depending on stage

STIR (Short Tau Inversion Recovery):

  • Normal ovary shows intermediate signal intensity

  • Cysts and fluid-filled follicles appear bright hyperintense

  • Pathological changes (e.g., inflammation, endometriomas) are also bright

T1 Fat-Sat Post-Contrast:

  • Normal ovarian tissue enhances mildly and heterogeneously

  • Functional cysts may not enhance significantly

  • Tumors or neoplastic lesions enhance variably (solid components show stronger enhancement)

CT Appearance

Non-Contrast CT:

  • Ovary appears as a soft tissue density structure in the adnexal region

  • Small follicles may be visible as low-density foci

  • Calcifications may be seen in teratomas

Post-Contrast CT:

  • Ovary enhances mildly and heterogeneously

  • Follicles appear as non-enhancing cystic areas

  • Pathologic lesions (tumors, abscesses) may show heterogeneous or rim enhancement

  • Useful for staging ovarian tumors and evaluating metastatic disease

MRI image

Left ovary MRI axial image anatomy image-img-00000-00000

CT image

left ovary ct axial image anatomy image-img-00000-00000