Advances in imaging techniques for diagnosis of endometrial cancer

Endometrial cancer is the most common gynecologic malignancy diagnosed in Western countries, and its care is rapidly evolving towards more personalized treatment recommendations to improve outcome and minimize toxicity and cost. Evaluation of the accuracy of preoperative assessment by imaging of the depth of myometrial invasion, cervical invasion and nodal metastasis is very important for optimizing surgical procedures and therapeutic strategies.

This review focuses on research published within the past decade and draws extensively on the texts and summaries of the articles referenced to imaging of the depth of myometrial invasion, cervical invasion and nodal metastasis in endometrial cancer. Less recent citations are also included when deemed useful to provide background information.

The reader will be introduced to recent advances, techniques and applications of system approach to assess by imaging of endometrial cancer. The reader will learn fundamental research principles and tasks required in the implementation of these approaches and applications. The reader will gain a better understanding of the role of imaging for endometrial cancer, as well as of potential opportunities and advances.

The utility of new techniques, including contrast material-enhanced dynamic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging, higher Tesla machines, MRI using nanoparticle contrast media, and positron-emission tomography with (18)F-deoxy-glucose and/or radiotracers of 16α-[(18)F]fluoro-17β-estradiol binding to the estrogen receptor are promising methods, although some limitations remain. Further advances in molecular imaging technology will eventually overcome these current limitations in diagnosis of endometrial cancer.