title: A risk of malignancy index in preoperative diagnosis of ovarian cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the ability of a risk of malignancy index (RMI), based on serum CA125 level, ultrasound findings and menopausal status, to discriminate benign from malignant pelvic mass.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and forty women with pelvic masses, at age 30 of years or more were admitted to the Peking Union Medical College Hospital between January 1998 and June 1999. The sensitivity, specificity and positive predictive value of serum CA125 level, ultrasound findings and the menopausal status in diagnosis of ovarian cancer were evaluated separately or combined into the RMI.
  
  
  RESULTS
  RMI was more accurate than any individual criterion in diagnosing cancer. Using an RMI cutoff level of 200 to indicate malignancy, the RMI derived from this data set gave a sensitivity of 87.3%, a specificity of 84.4%, and a positive predictive value of 82.1%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  RMI is able to correctly discriminate malignant from benign pelvic mass. It can be introduced easily into clinical practice to facilitate the selection of patients for primary surgery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science, Beijing 100730, China. mashuiqing@sina.com
authors.forename: Shuiqing
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Keng
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Jinghe
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lang
mesh_terms: D018394:CA-125 Antigen / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008593:Menopause; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D018394:CA-125 Antigen