[Sonography of malignant ovarian tumors]

For the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of malignant tumors of the ovaries, transvaginal ultrasound is currently the preferred method. Ultrasound is indispensable for the pre-operative assessment of the biological significance of an ovarian tumor. With its aid,the indication for a surgical procedure can be established with a high degree of sensitivity and specificity and, where appropriate, the therapeutic approach definitively established. A further important application is screening for the early detection of an ovarian cancer. Although a high level of sensitivity and specificity can also be achieved for such an indication, an otherwise desirable screening procedure--at least in high-risk groups and post-menopausal women--is nevertheless controversial on account of the low prevalence of ovarian carcinoma and the associated poor positive predictive value (PPV).