Diffusion weighted imaging in suspicious uterine tumors; how efficient is it?

Abstract

© 2018 Egyptian Society of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine Background: Uterine tumors are considered one of the major, causes of death. Detection, characterization and staging of these tumors, remain the cornerstone for proper management. Objective: Describe the, various uterine tumors at DWI and assess its ability in, detection, characterization and staging of these tumors. Patients & methods: This study included 25 patients with suspected endometrial and, cervical masses between June 2015 to December 2016.These were referred from, the ultrasound unit to the MRI unit of Radiology Department for further, characterization and staging of the tumors. All patients were evaluated, with transvaginal ultrasound and only those with suspicious masses were, included in our study. Conventional MRI with DWIs was done. All images were, analyzed as regards the degree of signal intensity and interpreted into a, quantitative measurement using the ADC mapping. This was followed by, staging of tumors using FIGO staging. The sensitivity, specificity and, diagnostic accuracy of DWI with the ADC cut off value in each malignancy, were calculated. Results: DWIs with ADC maps showed a sensitivity and, specificity of 80% in endometrial cancers, sensitivity of 87.5% and, specificity of 100% in cervical cancers. The mean ADC value for, endometrial cancers was 0.8 × 10−3mm2/s and 0.6 × 10−3mm2/s for cervical, cancers. Conclusion: Conventional MRI findings in conjunction with DWI and, quantitative measurement of the ADC are effective methods in the, diagnosis and staging of uterine cancer.