Abstract
Objective
To determine the diagnostic accuracy of diffusion-weighted (DW) magnetic resonance (MR) imaging in the preoperative assessment of myometrial invasion by endometrial cancer.
Materials and methods
In this prospective study, 47 patients with histologically confirmed endometrial cancer underwent preoperative MR imaging and total hysterectomy. The MR protocol included spin-echo multishot T2-weighted, dynamic T1-weighted and DW images acquired with b-values of 0 and 500 s/mm2. Myometrial tumour spread was classified as superficial (<50%) or deep (≥50% myometrial thickness). Postoperative histopathological findings served as a reference standard. Indices of diagnostic performance were assessed for each sequence.
Results
At histopathological examination, superficial myometrial invasion was found in 34 patients and deep myometrial invasion in 13. In the assessment of tumour invasion, sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values of T2-weighted images were 92.3%, 76.5%, 60.0% and 96.3%, respectively. The corresponding values for dynamic images were 69.2%, 61.8%, 40.9% and 84.0%, and for DW images 84.6%, 70.6%, 52.4% and 92.3%. T2-weighted and DW imaging proved to be the most accurate techniques for tumour spread determination.
Conclusion
DW imaging proved to be accurate in assessing myometrial invasion, and it could replace dynamic imaging as an adjunct to routine T2-weighted imaging for preoperative evaluation of endometrial cancer.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Shen SH, Chiou YY, Wang JH, Yen MS, Lee RC, Lai CR, Chang CY (2008) Diffusion-weighted single-shot echo-planar imaging with parallel technique in assessment of endometrial cancer. AJR Am J Roentgenol 190:481–488
Medverd JR, Dubinsky TJ (2002) Cost analysis model: US versus endometrial biopsy in evaluation of peri- and postmenopausal abnormal vaginal bleeding. Radiology 222:619–627
Dubinsky TJ, Parvey HR, Maklad N (1997) The role of transvaginal sonography and endometrial biopsy in the evaluation of peri- and postmenopausal bleeding. AJR Am J Roentgenol 169:145–149
Tamai K, Koyama T, Saga T, Umeoka S, Mikami Y, Fujii S, Togashi K (2007) Diffusion-weighted MR imaging of uterine endometrial cancer. J Magn Reson Imaging 26:682–687
Boronow RC (1990) Advances in diagnosis, staging, and management of cervical and endometrial cancer, stages I and II. Cancer 65(Suppl.3):648–659
Larson DM, Connor GP, Broste SK, Krawisz BR, Johnson KK (1996) Prognostic significance of gross myometrial invasion with endometrial cancer. Obstet Gynecol 88:394–398
Piver MS, Lele SB, Barlow JJ, Blumenson L (1982) Paraaortic lymph node evaluation in stage I endometrial carcinoma. Obstet Gynecol 59:97–100
Hardesty LA, Sumkin JH, Nath ME, Edwards RP, Price FV, Chang TS, Johns CM, Kelley JL (2000) Use of preoperative MR imaging in the management of endometrial carcinoma: cost analysis. Radiology 215:45–49
Takahashi S, Murakami T, Narumi Y, Kurachi H, Tsuda K, Kim T, Enomoto T, Tomoda K, Miyake A, Murata Y, Nakamura H (1998) Preoperative staging of endometrial carcinoma: diagnostic effect of T2-weighted fast spin-echo MR imaging. Radiology 206:539–547
Saez F, Urresola A, Larena JA, Martín JI, Pijuán JI, Schneider J, Ibáñez E (2000) Endometrial carcinoma: assessment of myometrial invasion with plain and gadolinium-enhanced MR imaging. J Magn Reson Imaging 12:460–466
Lee EU, Byun JY, Kim B, Koong SE, Shinn KS (1999) Staging of early endometrial carcinoma: assessment with T2-weighted and gadolinium-enhanced T1-weighted MR imaging. Radiographics 19:937–945
Chung HH, Kang SB, Cho JY, Kim JW, Park NH, Song JS, Kim SH, Lee HP (2007) Accuracy of MR imaging for the prediction of myometrial invasion of endometrial carcinoma. Gynecol Oncol 104:654–659
Scoutt LM, McCarthy SM, Flynn SD, Lange RC, Smith RC, Chambers SK, Kohorn E, Schwartz P, Chambers JT (1995) Clinical stage I endometrial carcinoma: pitfalls in preoperative assessment with MR imaging, Work in progress. Radiology 194:567–572
Ortashi O, Jain S, Emannuel O, Henry R, Wood A, Evans J (2008) Evaluation of the sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values of preoperative magnetic resonance imaging for staging endometrial cancer. A prospective study of 100 cases at the Dorset Cancer Centre. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol 137:232–235
Nasu K, Kuroki Y, Kuroki S, Murakami K, Nawano S, Moriyama N (2004) Diffusion-weighted single shot echo planar imaging of colorectal cancer using a sensitivity-encoding technique. Jpn J Clin Oncol 34:620–626
Koyama T, Togashi K (2007) Functional MR imaging of the female pelvis. J Magn Reson Imaging 25:1101–1112
Inada Y, Matsuki M, Nakai G, Fuminari T, Masato T, Isamu N, Takashi Y, Motomu T (2007) Body diffusion-weighted MR imaging of uterine endometrial cancer: is it helpful in the detection of cancer in nonenhanced MR imaging? Eur J Radiol 17:201–204
Lin G, Ng KK, Chang CJ, Wang JJ, Ho KC, Yen TC, Wu TI, Wang CC, Chen YR, Huang YT, Ng SH, Jung SM, Chang TC, Lai CH (2009) Myometrial invasion in endometrial cancer: diagnostic accuracy of diffusion-weighted 3.0-T MR imaging - initial experience. Radiology 250(3):784–792
Fujii S, Matsusue E, Kigawa J, Sato S, Kanasaki Y, Nakanishi J, Sugihara S, Kaminou T, Terakawa N, Ogawa T (2008) Diagnostic accuracy of the apparent diffusion coefficient in differentiating benign from malignant uterine endometrial cavity lesions: initial results. Eur Radiol 18:384–389
Rockall AG, Meroni R, Sohaib SA, Reynolds K, Alexander-Sefre F, Shepherd JH, Jacobs I, Reznek RH (2007) Evaluation of endometrial carcinoma on magnetic resonance imaging. Int J Gynecol Cancer 17:188–196
Barwick TD, Rockall AG, Barton DP, Sohaib SA (2006) Imaging of endometrial adenocarcinoma. Clin Radiol 61(7):545–555
Messiou C, Spencer JA, Swift SE (2006) MR staging of endometrial carcinoma. Clin Radiol 61:822–832
Utsunomiya D, Notsute S, Hayashida Y, Lwakatare F, Katabuchi H, Okamura H, Awai K, Yamashita Y (2004) Endometrial carcinoma in adenomyosis: assessment of myometrial invasion on T2-weighted Spin-Echo and Gadolinium-Enhanced T1-weighted images. AJR Am J Roentgenol 182:399–404
Brown LD, Cai TT, DasGupta A (2001) Interval estimation for a binomial proportion. Stat Sci 16(2):101–133
Kinkel K, Kaji Y, Yu K, Segal MR, Lu Y, Powell CB, Hricak H (1999) Radiologic staging in patients with endometrial cancer: a meta-analysis. Radiology 212:711–718
Savci G, Ozyaman T, Tutar M, Bilgin T, Erol O, Tuncel E (1998) Assessment of depth of myometrial invasion by endometrial carcinoma: comparison of T2-weighted SE and contrast-enhanced dynamic GRE MR imaging. Eur Radiol 8:218–223
Bammer R (2003) Basic principles of diffusion-weighted imaging. Eur J Radiol 45:169–184
Colagrande S, Pallotta S, Vanzulli A, Napolitano M, Villari N (2005) The diffusion parameter in Magnetic Resonance: physics, techniques and semeiotics. Radiol Med 109:1–16
Manfredi R, Gui B, Maresca G, Fanfani F, Bonomo L (2005) Endometrial cancer: magnetic resonance imaging. Abdom Imaging 30:626–636
Kinkel K (2006) Pitfalls in staging uterine neoplasm with imaging: a review. Abdom Imaging 31:164–173
Joja I, Asakawa M, Asakawa T, Nakagawa T, Kanazawa S, Kuroda M, Togami I, Hiraki Y, Akamatsu N, Kudo T (1996) Endometrial carcinoma: dynamic MRI with turbo-FLASH technique. J Comput Assist Tomogr 20:878–887
Seki H, Kimura M, Sakai K (1997) Myometrial invasion of endometrial carcinoma: assessment with dynamic MR and contrast-enhanced T1-weighted images. Clin Radiol 52:18–23
ASTEC study group, Kitchener H, Swart AM, Qian Q, Amos C, Parmar MK (2009) Efficacy of systematic pelvic lymphadenectomy in endometrial cancer (MRC ASTEC trial): a randomised study. Lancet 373(9658):125–136
Larson DM, Johnson K, Olson KA (1992) Pelvic and para-aortic lymphadenectomy for surgical staging of endometrial cancer: morbidity and mortality. Obstet Gynecol 79:998–1001
Sironi S, Taccagni G, Garancini P, Belloni C, Del Maschio A (1992) Myometrial invasion by endometrial carcinoma: assessment by MR imaging. AJR Am J Roentgenol 158:565–569
Hricak H, Stern JL, Fisher ML, Shapeero LG, Winkler ML, Lacey CG (1987) Endometrial carcinoma staging by MR imaging. Radiology 162:297–305
Kinkel K, Forstner R, Danza FM, Oleaga L, Cunha TM, Bergman A, Barentsz JO, Balleyguier C, Brkljacic B, Spencer JA (2009) Staging of endometrial cancer with MRI: guidelines of the European Society of urogenital imaging. Eur Radiol 19(7):1565–1574
Manfredi R, Mirk P, Mareska G, Margariti PA, Testa A, Zannoni GF, Giordano D, Scambia G, Marano P (2004) Local-regional staging of endometrial carcinoma: role of MR imaging in surgical planning. Radiology 231(2):372–378
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Rechichi, G., Galimberti, S., Signorelli, M. et al. Myometrial invasion in endometrial cancer: diagnostic performance of diffusion-weighted MR imaging at 1.5-T. Eur Radiol 20, 754–762 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-009-1597-x
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-009-1597-x