A Scan That Changed Everything
After years of fertility treatment and being told everything looked “normal”, one woman finally received answers when Patricia Cullen of Ovascan identified signs of deep infiltrating endometriosis that others had missed.
Years Without Clear Answers
For five years, she moved through the relentless cycle so many women know too well.
Appointments. Blood tests. Hormone checks. Ultrasounds. Consultations across Ireland and even Prague. Four consultants.
Each time, the message was roughly the same. Everything looked more or less normal.
And yet, she never quite felt reassured.
Fertility treatment has a rhythm of its own. You learn the language quickly — follicles, lining, cysts, numbers.
You become accustomed to lying back in a dimly lit room, watching a screen you cannot fully interpret, waiting for someone else to explain what it means.
Over time, you begin to accept that if something serious were there, surely it would have been found by now.
A Different Kind of Appointment
Last summer, during yet another scan, something changed.
When Patricia Cullen, founder of Ovascan, carried out her assessment, the experience felt different from the start.
There was no rush. No conveyor belt pace.
She explained what she was looking at, asked questions that had never been asked before and, most importantly, she listened.
During that appointment, Patricia became the first person to raise the possibility of endometriosis.
She also identified a cyst on the right ovary and advised a follow-up with a gynaecologist to clarify its nature.
That suggestion changed the course of this woman’s care.
The Diagnosis
Her gynaecologist arranged an MRI to investigate the cyst and the concerns Patricia had raised.
The results confirmed deep infiltrating endometriosis.
After years of unexplained fertility struggles, there was finally a name for what had been happening inside her body.
The diagnosis brought mixed emotions.
Relief that it was not “all in her head”.
Validation that her instinct something was not right had been accurate.
But also frustration that such an extensive disease had not been identified earlier.
Surgery and Recovery
Ten days later, she underwent surgery.
The endometriosis was widespread and had reached her bowel, which made the prospect of surgery frightening.
Thankfully, the operation was successful and completed without complications.
The surgeon removed the extensive disease along with a large endometrioma on her right ovary — the cyst Patricia had seen during the ultrasound.
A New Perspective
During her post-operative discussions, the surgeon expressed surprise that she had previously managed to carry a pregnancy given how extensive the endometriosis had become.
She remains deeply grateful for the consultation that helped her have her first baby.
Now, following surgery, she is hopeful that trying for a second child may be less complex.
When she reflects on the journey, what stands out is not just the diagnosis itself, but the way the care was delivered.
The Importance of Being Heard
“In fertility treatment, you can sometimes feel like you are just moving along a system,” she explains.
“You attend the appointment, you have the scan, you are told the result, and you move on to the next step.”
Being properly heard can make an enormous difference.
She describes Patricia’s approach as thorough and thoughtful.
Time was taken. Images were explained. Observations were not dismissed simply because previous scans had been described as normal.
There was a willingness to question what had not yet been considered.
That attention to detail ultimately led to answers.
Understanding Endometriosis
Endometriosis affects around one in ten women, yet it remains significantly underdiagnosed.
It does not always present with textbook symptoms.
Some women experience severe pain, while others have subtle or easily misattributed signs.
Many, like this patient, move through years of fertility treatment with the label of “unexplained infertility.”
Specialist ultrasound assessment cannot identify every case, but when performed with specific training and focus, it can reveal patterns and features that routine scans may overlook.
These can include restricted organ movement, ovarian endometriomas or signs of deeper disease that can change clinical direction entirely.
Why Listening Matters
For this patient, the experience confirmed something important.
“Women often live with symptoms for years without clear answers,” she says.
“Being taken seriously matters more than probably realising.”
She is extremely grateful to Patricia for her care and willingness to look beyond what had already been said.
Most of all, she is thankful for being given clarity.
Learn More
To find out more, contact info@ovascan.ie or visit www.ovascan.ie.
Ovascan
3 Leopardstown Gardens
Off Brewery Rd
Stillorgan, Dublin, A94 W8C3
Tel: 083 3366747
