[Cervical carcinoma staging with magnetic resonance tomography: the use of gadolinium-DOTA with 31 patients]

Abstract

Thirty-one patients with histologically proven carcinoma of the cervix were studied by contrast-enhanced MRI. T2-weighted sequences in a spin-echo mode and T1-weighted sequences were carried out before and after the application of Gd-DOTA. This resulted in improved staging. Contrast-enhanced MRI provided valuable additional information concerning tumour extension into the parametrium. In the presence of motion artifacts and ill-defined infiltration into the parametrium on the T2 sequences, the use of contrast-enhanced T1 images provided a valuable addition to the investigation of carcinoma of the cervix.