Computed tomography for the preoperative diagnosis of pelvic actinomycosis

The aim of this study was to review the clinical manifestations of pelvic actinomycosis in order to aid clinicians in its diagnosis and treatment.

We retrospectively reviewed the histopathology and clinical records of all cases confirmed by surgery as pelvic actinomycosis from 1996 to 2006.

A total of 16 cases of pelvic actinomycosis were selected and evaluated. The median age was 51 years (range, 36-66 years). All patients experienced childbirth, and had risk factors including use of an intrauterine device (93.8%) or pessary (6.2%), and/or a history of dilatation and curettage (68.8%), or previous abdominal surgery (31.3%). Nine patients (56.3%) were correctly diagnosed before surgery with computed tomography. Other common preoperative diagnoses were intra-abdominal malignancy (18.8%) and tubo-ovarian abscess (25%). The most common initial laboratory abnormalities were anemia (68.8%) and leukocytosis (62.5%). In six patients (37.5%), the preoperative values of carbohydrate antigen-125 were elevated. All patients were cured by surgery and no recurrence or mortality was noted.

The correct initial diagnosis of pelvic actinomycosis is important for decreasing treatment-related morbidity. Imaging studies, especially computed tomography, might have assisted the diagnoses of actinomycosis.