Fibroids are generally named based on their location in specific areas of the uterus . The symptoms that they cause are usually associated with their location. The different types are as follows:
Subserosal fibroids: The thin layer covering the outside of the uterus is called the serosa. Fibroids occurring just below this layer are called subserosal fibroids. They may appear as small bumps or large growths on the surface of the uterus.
Intramural fibroids: These are located within the muscular walls of the uterus. They may extend out-ward to include the subserosal area. It is not unusual to find fibroids that are both subserosal and intramural.
Submucosal fibroids: The lining of the cavity of the uterus is called the mucosa or endometrium. Fibroids that are located entirely within the uterine cavity are called submucosal fibroids. Sometimes an intramu-ral fibroid may extend into the uterine cavity and will therefore have a submucosal component. The submucosal fibroid is the major cause of abnormal uterine bleeding associated with fibroids.
Pedunculated fibroids: A fibroid may extend from a stalk or pedicle and is then called a pedunculated fibroid. They may occur either on the outside or serosal surface of the uterus or in the cavity or mucosal layer of the uterus.
Transmural fibroids: These extend throughout the thickness of the muscular wall of the uterus and may impinge on both the cavity and the external uterine surface.