Ultrasound features of different histopathological subtypes of borderline ovarian tumors.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the gray-scale sonographic and color Doppler imaging features of the most common histopathological subtypes of borderline ovarian tumors.


METHODS
We analyzed retrospectively the preoperative transvaginal sonographic reports of patients with a histological diagnosis of borderline ovarian tumor. All patients were scanned consecutively by two of the investigators using transabdominal and transvaginal gray-scale imaging to assess the morphology and color Doppler to obtain indices of the blood flow. Sonographic findings were compared to histopathological data.


RESULTS
A total of 113 consecutive cases were reviewed from two referral centers for gynecological oncology. At histological examination 50 tumors (44%) were classified as being serous borderline ovarian tumors (SBOT), 61 (54%) were mucinous borderline ovarian tumors (MBOT) (42 intestinal type and 19 endocervical type), and two patients (2%) presented with borderline endometrioid tumors. SBOTs and endocervical-type MBOTs had very similar sonographic features and a smaller diameter, fewer locules (usually unilocular-solid lesions) and a higher color score than intestinal-type MBOTs. Intestinal-type MBOTs were characterized by a significantly higher percentage of lesions with > 10 locules when compared with the endocervical-type MBOTs.


CONCLUSIONS
Intestinal-type MBOTs have different sonographic features from other common borderline ovarian tumors.
Fruscella
E
E
Gynecology Oncology Unit, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.
Testa
A C
AC
Ferrandina
G
G
De Smet
F
F
Van Holsbeke
C
C
Scambia
G
G
Zannoni
G F
GF
Ludovisi
M
M
Achten
R
R
Amant
F
F
Vergote
I
I
Timmerman
D
D
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D011300:Preoperative Care / Q000379:methods; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color / Q000379:methods