Ultrasound reports are written for clinicians — not for patients. The terminology is dense, the abbreviations are unexplained, and the measurements mean little without context. This guide translates the most common terms into plain language so you can actually understand what your report says.
Common Terms and What They Mean
Uterus anteverted / retroverted / axial: The position of the uterus in the pelvis. Anteverted means it tilts forward (most common). Retroverted means it tilts backward. Axial is intermediate. None of these positions are abnormal and they do not affect fibroid symptoms.
Myometrium: The muscular wall of the uterus. When the report mentions “myometrial lesions” or “intramyometrial fibroids,” it means fibroids within the wall itself — these are intramural fibroids.
Endometrium: The inner lining of the uterus. “Endometrial thickness of Xcm” tells you how thick the lining is. Endometrial thickness varies across the cycle — thin after a period, thicker in the luteal phase. Abnormally thick endometrium can indicate hormone imbalance.
Echogenicity: How the tissue appears on ultrasound. “Hypoechoic” means darker than surrounding tissue (common description for fibroids). “Hyperechoic” means brighter. “Heterogeneous” means mixed — common in fibroids that have undergone some internal change.
Intracavitary / submucosal: A fibroid described as “intracavitary” or “projecting into the endometrial cavity” is a submucosal fibroid — the most significant type for symptoms and fertility. This is one of the most important things to look for in your report. See our detailed article on submucosal fibroids explained.
Subserosal / exophytic: A fibroid described as “subserosal,” “exophytic,” or “projecting beyond the serosal surface” is growing on the outer wall — the type with the least impact on bleeding and fertility but most likely to cause pressure and bulk symptoms.
Pedunculated: On a stalk. Can be pedunculated submucosal (stalk inside the cavity) or pedunculated subserosal (stalk on the outside). Pedunculated submucosal fibroids are usually the easiest to remove hysteroscopically.
Reading the Measurements
Fibroids are measured in three dimensions — for example, “2.8 × 2.3 × 2.1cm.” The largest number is the one most commonly cited clinically. Some reports also give total uterine size — for example, “uterus measures 10 × 6 × 5cm (antero-posterior × transverse × longitudinal).” A normal uterus is roughly 7.5 × 4.5 × 3.5cm — larger measurements indicate uterine enlargement from fibroids. For a full guide to what different fibroid sizes mean for symptoms, see our article on fibroid size: what the measurements mean.
What Is Not On the Report (But Matters)
Ultrasound reports describe what was seen at one point in time. They do not tell you whether a fibroid has grown since your last scan — you need to compare reports over time for that. They also do not tell you whether a submucosal fibroid is Type 0, 1, or 2 (the classification that determines which treatment approach is best) — this requires specific assessment and is worth asking about explicitly. For questions to bring to your next appointment based on what your report shows, see our complete guide on how to talk to your doctor about fibroids.
Read next If you want to understand the hormonal side of this, how estrogen drives fibroid growth — and what shifts it.