title: Magnetic resonance imaging to identify risk of lymph node metastasis in patients with endometrial cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the value of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to identify endometrial cancer patients at risk of lymph node metastasis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective review of data from 108 patients with clinical stage I endometrial cancer who underwent preoperative MRI and were treated surgically. Patients at risk of lymph node metastasis were defined as those who had more than 50% myometrial infiltration or cervical invasion. Preoperative MRI reports were compared with final pathologic results.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of the patients was 69.5 years and most patients had endometrioid cancer. On final pathologic analysis, 59 patients had deep myometrial infiltration or cervical invasion. For diagnosis of deep myometrial infiltration, cervical invasion, or both, MRI sensitivity and specificity were 56% and 85%; 47% and 83%; and 67% and 77%, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MRI has limited value in identifying patients with endometrial cancer who are at risk of lymph node metastasis. Minimally invasive laparoscopic lymph node staging should be undertaken when it is feasible.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland. manuela.undurraga@hcuge.ch
authors.forename: Manuela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Undurraga
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Petignat
authors.forename: Marie-Françoise
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Pelte
authors.forename: Sandrine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jacob
authors.forename: Jean-Bernard
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Dubuisson
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Loubeyre
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000473:pathology; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000473:pathology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008875:Middle Aged; D009215:Myometrium / Q000473:pathology; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness / Q000175:diagnosis*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011300:Preoperative Care / Q000379:methods; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012306:Risk; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity