Correlation of radiological and pathological assessment of tumour volume with lymph node involvement in cancer cervix

The present study was carried out in 18 patients with carcinoma cervix stage IB through early IIB-Preoperative computerised tomography (C.T.) was done within seven days before surgery. Volume of tumour was determined from the C. T. films. Radical hysterectomy Type-III was performed in all 18 patients and specimens of cervix, parametrium and lymph nodes subjected to histopathological examination. Each specimen of cervix was cut into 4 to 12 equal sections depending on the size of the tumour mass. Cervical tumour volume was measured. Correlation of radiological with pathological tumour volume and of tumour volume with lymph node involvement was done. C. T. Scan was able to detect tumour mass accurately only four patients (Sensitivity 40%, Specificity 28.5%). In the Indian setting the conventional surgical approach appears to be the more appropriate.