MR imaging of uterine cervical carcinoma

We retrospectively analyzed the magnetic resonance (MR) imaging findings of 20 consecutive patients with primary untreated carcinoma of the cervix who underwent surgery and one patient who underwent percutaneous needle biopsy of enlarged pelvic lymph nodes. Most of the patients were clinical Stage IB. The clinical assessment of the parametria in these patients was more accurate than the MR assessment of the parametria (95 versus 79%). Magnetic resonance was valuable for detecting metastatic pelvic lymphadenopathy. Enlarged pelvic lymph nodes (greater than 1.5 cm in diameter) were demonstrated by MR in all three patients with histologic verification of metastatic lymphadenopathy. In summary, the major therapeutic value of MR in patients with untreated cervical carcinoma is in assessing the pelvic lymph nodes. In patients with clinical Stage IB disease, MR assessment of the parametria does not add useful additional information.