MRI imaging of the uterine cervical carcinoma

Abstract

Objective: Cervical cancer is the second most common malignancy in Mongolian women. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the assessment of size, extension and staging of cervical malignancy. Materials and methods: Fourty seven females that had undergone pelvic MRI with untreated pathologically proven uterine cervical carcinoma were included in this retrospective study. The patients were 27-72 years of age and their average age was 49.3±11,1years. (mean age ± standard deviation) All patients were subjected to routine clinical staging work-up including physical examination, bimanual pelvic examination. MRI was performed 1.5 Closed MRI imager (Siemens Magnetom Essenza) using a body coil. The following sequences were obtained: axial,axial-obl, sagittal, coronal T2W, axial T1W, axial and coronal T2_FS, axial DWI, ADC map and after contrast axial, sagittal, coronal T1W. Intravenous gadolinium was given to all patients (GADOSCAN) in a dose of about 0.2 ml/kg. MRI images were evaluated in one session by two radiologists. Results: Histologic examination established that of 20 tumors, 14 (70%) were squamous cell carcinoma. According to the FIGO staging criteria, 2/46 patients (4,3%) were stage IB, 11/46 (24%) were IIA, 26/46 (56.5%) were IIB, 7/46 ( 15.2%) were IVA. Conclusion: MRI is an optimal non-invasive modality for evaluating of uterine cervical malignancy. MRI imaging of cervical carcinoma was in concordance with after surgery histopathologic staging in stages IB, IIA, IIB.