Histopathology of uterine cervical carcinoma: diagnostic comparison of endorectal surface coil and standard body coil MRI.
OBJECTIVE
We compared body coil (BC) MR images and endorectal surface coil (ERC) images with respect to the visualization of the cervix and adjacent tissues and the histopathologic correlations of the imaging findings.


METHODS
Twenty-one patients with cervical carcinoma underwent MRI using both coils for evaluation of the cervix and adjacent tissues. In all patients, surgical confirmation of the diagnosis was obtained after imaging.


RESULTS
The ERC images were superior to BC images for visualization of the cervix, parametrium, anterior vaginal wall, and posterior bladder wall (p < 0.005). The accuracy of detecting parametrial invasion by ERC and BC imaging was, respectively, 95 and 79% (p < 0.05), while the differences of accuracy between BC and ERC imaging were not statistically significant in staging or in assessing for invasion to corpus, vagina, bladder, and rectum. All the false-positive sites of parametrial invasion on BC images were diagnosed correctly on ERC images.


CONCLUSIONS
Endorectal surface coil imaging is useful in assessing the extent of cervical carcinoma, especially parametrial invasion, because it can delineate the tumor and the normal tissues in detail.
Kaji
Y
Y
Department of Radiology, Shimane Medical University, Izumo, Japan.
Sugimura
K
K
Kitao
M
M
Ishida
T
T
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology*; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000473:pathology; D003287:Contrast Media; D004717:Endometrium / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005682:Gadolinium; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D006801:Humans; D008022:Ligaments / Q000473:pathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D004369:Pentetic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012007:Rectum / Q000473:pathology; D001743:Urinary Bladder / Q000473:pathology; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology*; D014599:Uterus / Q000473:pathology; D014621:Vagina / Q000473:pathology
D003287:Contrast Media; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D004369:Pentetic Acid; D005682:Gadolinium; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA