title: [Ultrasonographic features in the preoperative diagnosis of primitive fallopian tube carcinoma].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To review the characteristic ultrasound features of primary fallopian tube carcinoma (PFTC) and its relationship to the clinical history in order to establish specific findings useful for the preoperative diagnosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  An extensive review of the current literature was done on Medline via PubMed by using the following keywords: "primary fallopian tube cancer", "tubal cancer", "adnexal malignancy mass" and "ultrasound".
  
  
  RESULTS
  PFTC corresponds to complex, sausage-shaped structures or cystic adnexal masses. A thick and an irregular capsule are in favour of a malignant lesion. Three-dimensional ultrasound is superior to 2D ultrasound for the detection of tubal wall irregularities such as papillary projections or pseudosepta who were suggestive of tubal malignancy and allows a better assessment of the extent of tumor infiltration through the capsule. Neovascularization with low resistance indices are typical of tubal malignancy. Three-dimensional power Doppler sonography acutely detected structural abnormalities of the malignant tumor vessels which are randomly dispersed within the papillary projections. Intra-uterine collection and peritumoral fluid are often found but ascite could be also an indirect proof of peritoneal carcinosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Sausage-shaped structures or cystic adnexal masses associated with imaging findings such as papillary projections and neovascularization with low resistance indices are in favour of PFTC. A standardized terminology, high-frequency and 3D power Doppler could improve diagnostic performance by allowing a better assessment of tubal wall and chaotic vessels architecture of these tumors.
authors.affiliation: Service de chirurgie cancérologique-gynécologique et du sein, hôpital européen Georges-Pompidou (HEGP), 20, rue Leblanc, 75908 Paris cedex 15, France; URDIA EA 4465, département d'anatomie, UFR biomédicale des Saints-Pères, 45, rue des Saints-Pères, 75006 Paris, France. Electronic address: vbalaya@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Balaya
authors.affiliation: Service de chirurgie cancérologique-gynécologique et du sein, hôpital européen Georges-Pompidou (HEGP), 20, rue Leblanc, 75908 Paris cedex 15, France.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Metzger
authors.affiliation: Service de chirurgie cancérologique-gynécologique et du sein, hôpital européen Georges-Pompidou (HEGP), 20, rue Leblanc, 75908 Paris cedex 15, France.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lecuru
mesh_terms: D002277:Carcinoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005185:Fallopian Tube Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D014463:Ultrasonography
keywords: Adnexal malignancy mass; Cancer primitif de la trompe; Cancer tubaire; Masse annexielle maligne; Primary fallopian tube cancer; Tubal cancer; Ultrasound; Échographie