[Endometrial carcinoma]

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the method of choice in staging endometrial cancer. Using MRI early tumor invasion (stage IA) can be differentiated from a deep tumor growth (stage IB) of the myometrium with reported sensitivities of 85-95%.Tumor invasion of the uterine cervix can be depicted with a sensitivity of 80% and specificity of 96%. In demonstrating lymph node metastases MRI shows a sensitivity of 50%, a specificity of 95% and and accuracy of 90%. These diagnostic criteria are decisive for the choice of therapy procedures. So a simple hysterectomy will be performed in early stage IA disease while an extended surgical procedure with pelvic lymphadenectomy and radiotherapy will be considered in advanced stages IB and II disease. Vaginal ultrasound shows lower values in tumor staging with accuracies of 73-95%. Staging accuracies of computed tomography also show lower results with 61-76%. For planning radiotherapy and detection of cancer recurrence MRI is the most valuable tool.