Which cyst is typically located in the broad ligament and separate from the ovary?

• A. Endometrioma
• B. PID
• C. Paraovarian cyst
• D. Hydrosalpinx

Answer: (C)

The concept being tested is the origin and location of pelvic cysts relative to the ovary. A paraovarian cyst arises in the broad ligament, between the ovary and the fallopian tube, and remains separate from the ovarian tissue. This makes it appear as a simple cyst adjacent to the ovary, with the ovary itself seen separately on ultrasound.

In contrast, an endometrioma originates from ovarian tissue and is usually intimately associated with the ovary, often presenting with a characteristic thick wall and mixed or “ground-glass” contents. PID refers to infection and inflammatory changes rather than a discrete cyst, and hydrosalpinx is a dilated fallopian tube, not a cyst in the broad ligament.

So the cyst located in the broad ligament and separate from the ovary is the paraovarian cyst.