title: Superficial endometrial spread of squamous cell cervical carcinoma: a diagnostic challenge at magnetic resonance imaging.
abstract: The magnetic resonance imaging findings in a case of superficial endometrial spread of squamous cervical carcinoma are presented. Early enhancement of a relatively small cervical mass was associated with a fluid-distended endometrial cavity. An irregular layer of early-enhancing tumor was seen lining the endometrial cavity. Histopathologic examination confirmed the presence of an invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix that superficially spread into the lower uterine segment and endometrial cavity, replacing most of the endometrial lining as a layer of tumor. The tumor also deeply invaded the myometrium in a permeative fashion throughout the bulk of the uterine body. Failure to appreciate the cervical abnormality might have resulted in an imaging diagnosis of endometrial carcinoma. We report this challenging case to broaden the described spectrum of magnetic resonance imaging findings in cervical carcinoma, because recognition of this unusual pattern of tumor spread may facilitate correct radiological interpretation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143-0628, USA.
authors.forename: Felix
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Adler
authors.forename: Joseph T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Rabban
authors.forename: Benjamin M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Yeh
authors.forename: Aliya
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Qayyum
authors.forename: Lee-may
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Fergus V
authors.initials: FV
authors.lastname: Coakley
mesh_terms: D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007044:Hysterectomy; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery