Gartner duct cysts develop on the side walls of the vagina. They are mainly located in the walls of the vaginal canal, and less commonly, in the walls of the uterus. Gartner ducts are present in a fetus while it is developing in the womb, but usually disappear after the baby's birth. If parts of the duct remain, they may collect fluid and develop into a vaginal wall cyst later in life.
Cysts are fluid-filled sacs or pockets that can form in various parts of the body. Most cysts present little or no discomfort and are harmless. The majority disappear without treatment within a few months. Sometimes these cysts can rupture and release blood, known as hemorrhagic cysts. A hemorrhagic kidney cyst can be due to recent trauma.
Women have two ovaries - each about the size and shape of an almond - on each side of the uterus. Ovarian cysts are fluid-filled sacs or pockets inside an ovary or on its surface. Many women have ovarian cysts at some time in their lifetime. Most ovarian cysts present little or no discomfort and are harmless.
Small amounts of free fluid in the pelvis is a normal finding in healthy men without symptoms (e.g. abdominal/pelvic pain) or known abdominal/pelvic disease. However, small amounts of free fluid in the pelvis can also be present in men with known abdominal/pelvic conditions such as abdominal/pelvic infections, inflammation of the inner abdominal wall lining (peritonitis), liver cirrhosis and cancer.
A glioma is an abnormal growth of cells (tumor) that forms from glial cells found in the brain and spinal cord. Glial cells provide the structural backbone of the brain and support the function of neurons (nerve cells). Brain tumors are classified as primary, those that arise in the brain, or secondary, those that have spread to the brain from another part of the body. In the United States, about 24,000 people per year are diagnosed with a primary brain tumor. Most primary brain tumors in adults have no clear risk factors identified. Brain tumors can produce symptoms due to local brain invasion, compression of healthy brain structures and by increasing pressure within the brain (increased intracranial pressure). Symptoms vary based on what parts of the brain are involved.
Glial cells are the support and insulating cells for neurons (which conduct electrical impulses in the central nervous system). Gliosis is when the body creates more or larger glial cells in reaction to some injury to the brain or spinal cord. Any injury (such as physical trauma) or inflammatory process (such as an autoimmune condition) of the central nervous system can cause gliosis; however, the role of the process is unknown.
