[MR Imaging of the pelvis in the diagnosis of the endometrium in breast cancer patients in tamoxifen therapy].
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of the study was to determine the value of MR imaging of the pelvis in the diagnostic work-up of the endometrium in breast cancer patients in tamoxifen therapy.


METHODS
MR imaging of the pelvis was performed on 24 patients (mean: 62 years, range: 51 - 74 years) and 30 healthy women (mean: 65 years, range: 51 - 73 years). The volume of the uterus and cervix and the maximal thickness of the endometrium, junctional zone and myometrium of the uterus were determined and compared to the confidence interval of the parameters in healthy women. The Mann-Whitney U-test was used to identify differences in the volume of the uterus and cervix and in the thickness of the uterine wall layers in both groups.


RESULTS
A comparison of the volume of the uterus and cervix and the thickness of the uterine wall layers in the two groups yielded no significant differences. The volume of the uterus and cervix showed no statistical differences between the two groups. The maximal height of the endometrium in the patient group showed a mean of 0.6 cm (range: 0.1 - 2.2 cm), and a mean of 0.4 cm (range: 0.1 - 1.2 cm) in the group of healthy women. The differences were not statistically significant. In all healthy women the endometrium showed homogeneous signal intensity in the sagittal T2-weighted images. In 12 of the 24 breast cancer patients, the endometrium showed inhomogeneous signal intensity. In 9 of 12 patients with an inhomogeneous endometrium with a thickness equal to or greater than 0.6 cm, histopathology confirmed polyps. In 3 patients endometrium hyperplasia was found. In one patient histopathology revealed a polyp and an endometrium carcinoma in stage T1 a N0. The endometrium carcinoma was not able to be seen via MR imaging.


CONCLUSIONS
MR imaging might be helpful in the diagnosis of endometrium pathologies during tamoxifen therapy. Therefore, MR imaging of the pelvis could be used as a diagnostic tool in the follow-up diagnosis of the endometrium in breast cancer patients in tamoxifen therapy.
Hauth
E
E
Institut für Diagnostische und Interventionelle Radiologie und Neuroradiologie, Universitätsklinik Essen. elke.hauth@uni-essen.de
Libera
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H
Kimmig
R
R
Forsting
M
M
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D000368:Aged; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D004714:Endometrial Hyperplasia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D004717:Endometrium / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007044:Hysterectomy; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011127:Polyps / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D011873:Radiology Information Systems; D013629:Tamoxifen / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013997:Time Factors; D014599:Uterus / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology
D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; D013629:Tamoxifen