Endometrial carcinoma: efficacy of thin-section oblique axial MR images for evaluating cervical invasion.
BACKGROUND
To investigate the efficacy of thin-section oblique axial magnetic resonance (MR) images in evaluating cervical invasion by endometrial carcinoma.


METHODS
Sixty-seven patients with endometrial carcinoma were evaluated with pathologic correlation. We compared the accuracy in the assessment of cervical invasion by endometrial carcinoma between parasagittal MR images and thin-section oblique axial MR images by using T2-weighted and contrast-enhanced T1-weighted pulse sequences.


RESULTS
Cervical invasion by endometrial carcinoma was confirmed by pathologic examination. Cervical invasion was seen in 16 patients. The accuracy rates of parasagittal T2-weighted images, thin-section oblique axial T2-weighted images, parasagittal contrast-enhanced T1-weighted images, and thin-section oblique axial contrast-enhanced T1-weighted images were 74.7%, 89.5%, 82.0%, and 95.5%, respectively. Statistically significant differences were seen between parasagittal T2-weighted images and thin-section oblique axial T2-weighted images (p = 0.002) and between parasagittal contrast-enhanced T1-weighted images and thin-section oblique axial contrast-enhanced T1-weighted images (p = 0.003).


CONCLUSIONS
Thin-section oblique axial MR images are considered to be useful for the assessment of cervical invasion by endometrial carcinoma.
Shibutani
O
O
Department of Radiology, Okayama University Medical School, 2-5-1 Shikata-cho, Okayama-city, Okayama 700-8558, Japan.
Joja
I
I
Shiraiwa
M
M
Asakawa
T
T
Miyagi
Y
Y
Kudo
T
T
Hiraki
Y
Y
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018196:Carcinoma, Adenosquamous / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007044:Hysterectomy; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008679:Metaplasia; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011446:Prospective Studies