Volumes of normal ovaries, ovaries with benign lesions, and ovaries with cancer in menopausal women: is there an optimal cut-off value to predict malignancy?
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate different ovarian volume cut-off values to distinguish between normal ovaries, benign lesions, and malignant lesions in menopausal women.


METHODS
Transvaginal sonographic ovarian volume measurements were performed in 362 menopausal patients prior to gynecologic surgery. Based on the histopathologic results, a total of 466 ovaries were divided into 3 groups: normal ovary, benign lesion, and malignant tumor. Different ovarian volume cut-off values were analyzed via receiver operating characteristic curves to determine the optimal cut-off value.


RESULTS
The mean ovarian volumes in the normal ovary, benign lesion, and malignant tumor groups were 3.4 +/- 2.2 cm3 (range, 0.6-9.6 cm3), 102 +/- 308 cm3 (range, 0.3-3543 cm3), and 368 +/- 1176 cm3 (range, 8.1-9908) cm3, respectively. Cut-off values of 8 cm3 and 10 cm3 to distinguish between malignant and nonmalignant lesions had a sensitivity of 100% and 97% and a specificity of 39% and 45%, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
In menopausal patients, any ovary with a volume >8 cm3 can potentially harbor a cancer.
Aviram
Rami
R
Ultrasound Unit, Meir Medical Center, 59 Tchernichovski Street, Kfar Saba, Israel 44281.
Gassner
Gilad
G
Markovitch
Ofer
O
Cohen
Ilan
I
Fishman
Ami
A
Tepper
Ronnie
R
D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000592:standards; D008593:Menopause; D008875:Middle Aged; D009929:Organ Size; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010053:Ovary / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014463:Ultrasonography