title: Ultrasound features of different histopathological subtypes of borderline ovarian tumors.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Gynecology Oncology Unit, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fruscella
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Testa
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ferrandina
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: De Smet
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Van Holsbeke
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Scambia
authors.forename: G F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Zannoni
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ludovisi
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Achten
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Amant
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Vergote
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Timmerman
mesh_terms: 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