[Uterine cervix cancers: staging by magnetic resonance imaging]

The accuracy of Magnetic Resonance Imaging in cervical carcinoma staging for clinical stages superior to IB was studied retrospectively in 27 patients. The MRI results were then correlated with operative findings in 12 cases and with examination carried out under general anesthesia in 15 cases for myometrial, bladder, rectal, parametrial, parietal and vaginal extension. The accuracy of MRI was 81.5% for bladder, 92.5% for rectal, 87% for parametrial and 73% for vaginal extension. The accuracy of staging by MRI was 59%. The contribution of MRI in pre-operative studies for cervical carcinomas has not been properly defined until now. Nevertheless it is a particularly valuable technique due to its non invasive nature.