[Value of MRI, CT and findings in staging of gynecologic malignancies]

The present study was designed to compare the value of MRI, CT and clinical examination in local tumor staging of gynaecologic malignancies.

99 patients with clinically suspected carcinoma of the cervix uteri, ovarian carcinoma or tumor recurrence after gynaecologic cancer underwent all three staging modalities. Furthermore CT and MRI were compared in detecting lymph node metastasis and peritoneal implants.

MRI was superior to CT and clinical staging in local tumor staging with an accuracy of 77% for cervical carcinoma and of 88% for recurrent tumors, whereas CT achieved an accuracy of 65% and 55% and clinical staging 60% and 63% accuracy for carcinoma of the cervix and recurrent cancer. Especially for local staging of these two tumor entities MRI is very useful. MRI and CT reached comparable results in the detection of ovarian tumors with an accuracy of 73% for MRI and 69% for CI. Both imaging modalities also showed equal results in the detection of lymph node metastasis, so that primary the cost saving use of CT tumor staging for ovarian lesions and lymph node metastasis should be favoured.