Staging of gynecologic malignancies using cross-sectional imaging

Because clinical staging of gynecologic malignancies often underestimates the extent of disease, preoperative and staging work-up has routinely included cross-sectional imaging, usually CT or MR imaging. The use of ultrasound has been primarily for the evaluation of pelvic masses of unknown origin. None of these modalities has proved efficacious for screening patients for malignancy. Rather, the major indication for CT or MR imaging in this setting has been for delineating the extent of disease, and in so doing, tailoring the choice of therapy with accurate pretreatment or preoperative staging.