I keep seeing “PCOC” in ultrasound reports and clinic notes and can’t tell if it’s an actual standardized term or just shorthand. Does PCOC stand for “polycystic ovarian changes,” and is that basically the same thing as “PCOM” (polycystic ovarian morphology), or do they mean different things?
I went down a rabbit hole on PCOS vs PCOM and now I’m curious how clinicians and radiologists are actually using these acronyms in 2025. Would love expert and lived-experience input on these:
- Is “PCOC” a recognized term in radiology/gynecology, or is it informal shorthand for “features suggestive of PCOM”?
- If a report says PCOC/PCOM but the person has regular cycles and no biochemical/clinical hyperandrogenism, is that considered a normal variant rather than PCOS?
- How much do cycle timing, postpartum status, and hormonal contraception affect whether ovaries look “polycystic” on ultrasound? Is there a preferred cycle window to assess morphology?
- With higher-resolution transvaginal probes counting more follicles, are clinics standardizing how they count and which thresholds they use, or does it vary a lot by site?
- In practice, are people leaning more on AMH as a proxy for PCOM when ultrasound is tricky, or do you still prefer antral follicle count/ovarian volume?
- For adolescents and early post-menarche patients, how are you wording reports to avoid over-diagnosis when ovaries can normally look “busy”?
- Would it help if imaging reports always included transducer specs and the counting method to make the label (PCOC/PCOM) more interpretable?
Bonus: a quick acronym cheat sheet would be amazing. I keep mixing up PCOC, PCOM, PCOS, PCO, and then POC (products of conception) and COC (combined oral contraceptive) add to the chaos.
Super excited to learn how you all navigate this in real life and what phrasing is most useful on reports and referrals!