Journal of Ultrasound in Medicine, Vol 8, Issue 8 441-443, Copyright © 1989 by American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine
Ultrasound examination in ovarian cancer patients. A comparison with second look laparotomy
C. Murolo, S. Costantini, G. Foglia, T. Guido, F. Odicino, M. Pace, S. Parodi, G. Pino, N. Ragni, L. Repetto and al. et
Istituto Nazionale per la Ricerca sul Cancro, Genova, Italy.
A series of 129 patients with International Federation of Gynecology and
Obstetrics (FIGO) stage III-IV ovarian cancer, were evaluated with
ultrasound examination and second look surgery. Results of both modalities
were correlated in order to assess the reliability of ultrasound in
detecting residual disease. After six cycles of chemotherapy, ultrasound
was negative in 94 patients and positive in 35 patients. At second look, 57
patients were in complete pathologic remission, 16 had microscopic residual
disease, 23 had macroscopic disease less than 2 cm, and 33 had macroscopic
disease greater than 2 cm. Correlating ultrasonography and laparotomy, high
correlations were seen in patients with no residual disease (92.2%); on the
other hand, ultrasound examinations exhibited poor sensitivity and
specificity in patients with microscopic disease (6.2%) and residual
disease less than 2 cm (8.6%). Using ultrasound discrimination among
patients with no residual disease, microscopic disease, or macroscopic
disease less than 2 cm does not appear possible. Our suggestion is that
ultrasound is not able to replace second look laparotomy in the detection
of minimal residual disease in ovarian cancer patients.
