title: Diagnostic accuracy of preoperative tests for lymph node status in endometrial cancer: a systematic review.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Approximately 72% of endometrial cancers are FIGO stage I at diagnosis and about 10% have lymph node metastases. An ideal diagnostic test for nodal disease would be able to prevent both overtreatment (i.e. unnecessary lymphadenectomy) and undertreatment (i.e. withholding lymphadenectomy or adjuvant postoperative treatment to patients with lymph node metastases).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  In this review we compare the accuracy of preoperative tests (computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, positron emission tomography-computed tomography, CA-125 serum levels, and ultrasonography) for the detection of lymph node metastases in endometrial cancers with the final histopathologic diagnosis after complete pelvic and para-aortic lymphadenectomy as the gold standard.
  
  
  METHODS
  A systematic search in MEDLINE (using PubMed), Embase and The Cochrane Library was performed up to 23 July 2012.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found one article that met our inclusion criteria for computed tomography, none for magnetic resonance imaging, 2 for positron emission tomography/computed tomography), 2 for CA-125 and none for ultrasonography.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Due to the lack of high-quality articles on a preoperative test for lymph node status in endometrial cancer, no proper comparison between these modalities can be made.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Bronovo Hospital, Bronovolaan 5, 2597 AX Den Haag, The Netherlands. h.pelikan@live.nl
authors.forename: H M P
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Pelikan
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Trum
authors.forename: F C H
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Bakers
authors.forename: R G H
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Beets-Tan
authors.forename: L J M
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Smits
authors.forename: R F P M
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Kruitwagen
mesh_terms: D018394:CA-125 Antigen / Q000097:blood; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D018394:CA-125 Antigen