Clinical stage I endometrial carcinoma: pitfalls in preoperative assessment with MR imaging. Work in progress.
OBJECTIVE
To identify potential pitfalls in using magnetic resonance (MR) imaging to determine the depth of myometrial invasion in patients with clinical stage I endometrial carcinoma.


METHODS
Forty women with clinical stage I endometrial carcinoma underwent preoperative pelvic MR imaging. Uterine length, tumor signal intensity, appearance of the junctional zone, presence of large polypoid tumors, leiomyomata, and congenital uterine anomalies were analyzed. Univariate logistic-regression analysis was performed to identify associations between incorrect MR staging and these variables.


RESULTS
MR staging of IA, IB, and IC disease was 55% accurate (22 of 40 cases); MR differentiation of deep myometrial invasion (stage IC) from superficial disease (stages IA and IB) was 78% accurate (31 of 40 cases). Older age (P = .025), presence of polypoid tumors (P = .025), and difficulty in pathologic staging (P < .005) were significantly associated with incorrect MR assessment.


CONCLUSIONS
When present, large polypoid tumors, leiomyomata, congenital anomalies, small uteri, and indistinct zonal anatomy may make it difficult to assess myometrial invasion at MR imaging.
Scoutt
L M
LM
Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT.
McCarthy
S M
SM
Flynn
S D
SD
Lange
R C
RC
Long
F
F
Smith
R C
RC
Chambers
S K
SK
Kohorn
E
E
Schwartz
P
P
Chambers
J T
JT
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007889:Leiomyoma / Q000175:diagnosis; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008875:Middle Aged; D009215:Myometrium / Q000473:pathology; D015588:Observer Variation; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014599:Uterus / Q000002:abnormalities