Computed tomography-detected hydrometra before irradiation for cancer of the cervix

To describe the risk and outcome of women with pretreatment CT-detected hydrometra who were treated by radiation for cancer of the cervix.

Between 1979 and 1995, 27 women with cervical cancer and a pretreatment CT scan of the pelvic cavity underwent definitive radiotherapy (pelvic teleirradiation and intracavitary brachytherapy). We compared the survival and morbidity in women with [n = 12] and without [n = 15] CT-diagnosed hydrometra.

Only one patient from the group with hydrometra was found to have pyometra. There were no statistical differences between the compared groups with respect to patient age, disease stage or applied total radiation doses. The estimated survival at 3 years was 35 +/- 27% for women with and 56 +/- 26% for patients without CT-detected hydrometra [p > 0.20] the corresponding morbidity rates were 25 +/- 26% and 0% [p < 0.05].

The presence of hydrometra may heighten the morbidity risk even though pyometra is seldom observed in patients with cervical cancer treated by radiation.