The following lumbar spine AP x-ray is from a 55 year old woman with low back pain. What can be seen?

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The single AP view looks normal; however, there is an incidental finding of popcorn calcification in the pelvis. Given its location in the pelvis, this is likely a calcified uterine fibroid.

Uterine fibroid (also called leiomyoma):

• Benign neoplasm arising from the smooth muscle.
• Location within the uterus can be submucous, subserous or intramural
• They can be the cause of menorrhagia and lower abdominal pain
• Submucous and subserous myomas can be pedunculated and as such, can undergo torsion.
• Risk of malignant transformation is between 0.1-0.5% (leiomyosarcoma)
• Imaging modality of choice is ultrasound
• If symptomatic, will need appropriate outpatient referral

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