Adenocarcinoma involving the uterine cervix: magnetic resonance imaging findings in tumours of endometrial, compared with cervical, origin.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the distinctive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features of cervical and endometrial adenocarcinoma that present clinically as a cervical mass.


METHODS
From 1999 to 2002, 56 patients with adenocarcinoma on the initial biopsy of a cervical mass underwent MRI at our institution. Of these, 42 had a visible mass on MRI. Pathology review of all available tissue was the reference standard. A site of origin was determined by the pathologist in 38 of the 42 patients, and these were the cases evaluated; of these patients, 32 cases had adenocarcinoma and 6 had adenosquamous cancers.


RESULTS
Findings were significantly more prevalent in patients with adenocarcinomas of endometrial, compared with cervical, origin for endometrial thickening (11 [73%] and 3 [13%], respectively; P = 0.0003), endometrial mass (11 [73%] and 1 [4%], respectively; P < 0.0001), endometrial cavity expansion by a mass (9 [60%] and 2 [9%], respectively; P = 0.001), and invasion of myometrium from endometrium (9 [60%] and 0, respectively; P < 0.0001).


CONCLUSIONS
Adenocarcinomas of the endometrium that involve the cervix have MRI features that help distinguish them from primary adenocarcinomas of the cervix.
Haider
Masoom A
MA
Department of Medical Imaging, University Health Network, Mount Sinai Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON. m.haider@utoronto.ca
Patlas
Michael
M
Jhaveri
Kartik
K
Chapman
William
W
Fyles
Anthony
A
Rosen
Barry
B
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001706:Biopsy; D018196:Carcinoma, Adenosquamous / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000473:pathology; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D004717:Endometrium / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007044:Hysterectomy; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009215:Myometrium / Q000473:pathology; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D012015:Reference Standards; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery