The role of computerized axial tomography in the follow-up of patients with carcinoma of the ovary.
In order to assess the accuracy of CAT in the follow-up of the patients affected by ovarian carcinoma, we compared the results of this method to those of second-look laparotomy in 19 patients. In 16 out of 19 patients the CAT showed the presence or absence of disease correctly. There were 3 false negatives, caused by small diffuse peritoneal metastases, and no false positives. The results of this study show that CAT, though useful in studying the evolution of abdominal and pelvic carcinomas, cannot replace the surgical second-look in cases of ovarian cancers, due to the high incidence of false negatives.
D002277:Carcinoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000628:therapy; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000628:therapy; D012086:Reoperation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed