title: Endometrial carcinoma: MR staging and causes of error.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was undertaken to prospectively determine the diagnostic capabilities of magnetic resonance (MR) imaging in detecting myometrial and cervical invasion and lymph node involvement in endometrial carcinoma and to identify the causes of errors in staging endometrial carcinoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty consecutive patients with a histological diagnosis of endometrial carcinoma underwent preoperative MR imaging. MR findings were compared with surgical staging, considered as the standard of reference.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In assessing myometrial invasion, MR imaging showed 70% accuracy, 80% sensitivity, 40% specificity, 80% positive predictive value (PPV), and 40% negative predictive value (NPV). In detecting cervical invasion, MR imaging had 95% accuracy, 100% sensitivity, 94.4% specificity, 66.7% PPV, and 100% NPV. In evaluating lymph node involvement, MR imaging showed 100% accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV. Errors in evaluating myometrial invasion were caused by polypoid tumour, adenomyosis and leiomyomas, whereas those in evaluating cervical invasion were caused by dilatation and curettage.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MR imaging is a reliable technique for preoperative evaluation of endometrial carcinoma. Its main limitation is differentiating between stage IA and IB carcinomas, which is not highly important for surgical planning. Cooperation between the gynaecologist and radiologist is mandatory to avoid staging errors.
authors.affiliation: Sezione di Scienze Radiologiche del Dipartimento Materno Infantile e Scienze Radiologiche, Università degli Studi di Catania, Catania, Italy. pietrofoti@hotmail.com
authors.forename: P V
authors.initials: PV
authors.lastname: Foti
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Farina
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Coronella
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ruggeri
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Palmucci
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Montana
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Milone
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zarbo
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Caltabiano
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lanzafame
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Politi
authors.forename: G C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Ettorre
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity