Role of magnetic resonance imaging and positron emission tomography/computed tomography in preoperative lymph node detection of uterine cervical cancer

Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2010 Aug;203(2):156.e1-5. doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2010.02.041. Epub 2010 May 1.

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) in the preoperative detection of lymph node metastases in patients with uterine cervical cancer.

Study design: This retrospective study reviewed patients with cervical cancer who had undergone both preoperative MRI and PET/CT before radical surgery, including lymphadenectomy between 2004-2008.

Results: Eighty-three patients were identified, of whom 28 (33.7%) had pelvic lymph node metastasis. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy for detecting lymph node metastasis were 64.3%, 69.1%, and 67.5% for MRI, and 28.6%, 83.6%, and 65.1% for PET/CT, respectively. The area under the receiver operating characteristics for the MRI and PET/CT were 0.667 and 0.561, respectively (P = .013). MRI showed significantly higher sensitivity for detecting metastatic lymph nodes than PET/CT (P = .006).

Conclusion: MRI was more sensitive than PET/CT for detecting metastatic lymph node in patients with cervical cancer.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Adenocarcinoma / secondary
  • Adenocarcinoma / surgery
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / secondary
  • Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / surgery
  • Cohort Studies
  • Confidence Intervals
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hysterectomy / methods
  • Lymph Node Excision / methods
  • Lymph Nodes / diagnostic imaging*
  • Lymph Nodes / pathology*
  • Lymph Nodes / surgery
  • Lymphatic Metastasis / diagnostic imaging
  • Lymphatic Metastasis / pathology
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging* / methods
  • Middle Aged
  • Neoplasm Invasiveness / pathology
  • Neoplasm Staging
  • Positron-Emission Tomography*
  • Preoperative Care / methods
  • Probability
  • ROC Curve
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Role
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging
  • Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / pathology
  • Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / surgery
  • Young Adult