Journal of Ultrasound in Medicine, Vol 16, Issue 8 545-548, Copyright © 1997 by American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine
Preoperative assessment of myometrial invasion of endometrial cancer by MR imaging and intrauterine ultrasonography with a high-frequency probe: preliminary study
H. Tsuda, K. Murata, M. Kawabata and K. Yamamoto
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Osaka City General Hospital, Japan.
This study was undertaken to assess the capabilities of intrauterine
ultrasonography performed while inflating the endometrial cavity with fluid
and magnetic resonance imaging as a means to assess the depth of myometrial
invasion by endometrial cancer preoperatively. Twenty women with
endometrial disorders underwent preoperative intrauterine ultrasonography
and magnetic resonance imaging. We introduced the probe and hysteroscope
simultaneously into the uterine cavity and observed both the uterine cavity
surface and cross-sectional uterine muscle. We classified the depth of
myometrial invasion as none, superficial (less than half of the
myometrium), or deep (more than half of the myometrium). The accuracy of
magnetic resonance imaging and intrauterine ultrasonography in assessing
the depth of myometrial invasion was 85%. In two cases, intrauterine
sonography was able to demonstrate superficial myometrial invasion that
could not be diagnosed by magnetic resonance imaging. In contrast,
intrauterine ultrasonography was unable to diagnose myometrial invasion in
two cases in which magnetic resonance imaging could diagnose it.
Intrauterine sonography may be useful for estimation of myometrial invasion
of endometrial cancer.
