Evaluation of adnexal masses: correlation between clinical, ultrasound and histopathological findings

Concerning the growth of ovarian carcinoma incidence and bad prognosis for malignant forms, early and precise diagnostics is gaining in importance as a condition for precise and appropriate therapy for ovarian tumor masses. The aim of this study was to analyze pre- and postoperative findings of patients with adnexal masses in order to identify factors which could predict the nature and stage of the tumor prior to surgery.

All patients with adnexal masses who were treated in a 6-month period in the Institute of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Clinical Center of Serbia, (IOG, CCS), Belgrade, had their epidemiologic and gynecologic anamnesis and standard laboratory analyses taken prior to surgery. Also, clinical and ultrasonographic check up of pelvic organs was performed, as well as calculation of body mass index (BMI) and risk of malignancy index (RMI). After surgery we analyzed histopathological (HP) findings of tumors as a mean of final diagnosis and staging. For statistical analysis, we used SPSS 15 program.

Throughout a 6-month period, we examined 81 patients with adnexal masses treated in the IOG CCS. HP findings showed that there were significantly more benign (n = 51) than malignant (n = 30) tumors in all the patients (Chi2 = 5.512). The patients with malignant HP findings were significantly older than those with benign adnexal masses (t = 3.362; p = 0.001). Significantly more patients with malignant HP findings were in menopause (p = 0.034). BMI values were highly significantly higher in the patients with malignant adnexal tumors (t = 3.421; p = 0.001). There was a statistically significant positive correlation between HP categories (benign, malignant) and RMI categories (low, intermediate and high risk) of all the patients (high risk, more malignant HP) (Ro(xy) = 0.428; df = 78; p = 0.000).

. Patients in menopause, especially older ones, with high BMI and RMI should immediately be referred to a tertiary level institution, where appropriate surgery could be performed.