title: Adenoma malignum of the uterine cervix: ultrasonographic findings in 11 patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the ultrasonographic features of adenoma malignum, a minimal deviation adenocarcinoma of the uterine cervix.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighteen consecutive patients with pathologically confirmed adenoma malignum were enrolled in this study at two institutions. Preoperative ultrasound examination was performed and the results were available in 11 patients. We analyzed retrospectively the gray-scale ultrasound findings for the following morphologic characteristics: cervical enlargement, as well as size, location and ultrasonographic characteristics of lesions. In five patients we also evaluated Doppler features with regard to intralesional vascularity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The cervix was enlarged in 73% (8/11) of cases. The mean greatest tumor diameter was 4.2 (range, 2.5-6.8) cm. In five (45%) cases, the cervix was completely infiltrated by the tumor. At gray-scale ultrasound examination, three (27%) tumors were multilocular lesions, four (36%) were multilocular lesions with solid components and four (36%) were solid lesions. In the multilocular lesions with or without a solid component, locules tended to be 1 cm or less in average diameter (86%, 6/7 cases) and there tended to be 11-20 in number (57%, 4/7 cases). In most (57%, 4/7) cases the locular fluid was homogeneously hypoechoic. Most (75%, 3/4) solid lesions manifested heterogeneous echogenicity. The five (100%) tumors examined with Doppler manifested moderate or abundant color content on color or power Doppler.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Adenoma malignum can appear sonographically as solid, multilocular and multilocular solid cervical lesions. Awareness of its clinical and ultrasonographic features might improve diagnosis before surgery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Cheil General Hospital and Women's Healthcare Center, Kwandong University College of Medicine, Jung-gu, Seoul, Korea. pksungbin@paran.com
authors.forename: S B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Moon
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: B H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: K T
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Lim
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D000328:Adult; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007044:Hysterectomy; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color / Q000379:methods*; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D019522:Vaginal Discharge / Q000209:etiology