Ovarian cancer: staging with CT and MR imaging

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate ovarian cancer staging and tumor resectability with computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance (MR) imaging.

Materials and methods: Eighty-two women underwent CT (n = 43) or MR imaging (n = 50); eleven of these 82 underwent both. Imaging was performed within 4 weeks of surgical staging. Radiologic, surgical, and histopathologic findings were compared.

Results: Overall staging accuracy was similar for CT and MR imaging (77% [33 of 43] vs 78% [39 of 50]). Evaluation of pelvic cancer extent was better with MR imaging than with CT. There was no difference in detection of abdominal disease. Most mesenteric and small-bowel implants were not detected with either CT or MR imaging. For CT, the positive predictive value for cancer nonresectability was 100% (three of three patients); the negative predictive value was 92% (37 of 40 patients). The positive and negative predictive values for MR imaging were 91% (10 of 11 patients) and 97% (38 of 39 patients).

Conclusion: While the staging accuracy of both CT and MR imaging is only moderate, prediction of tumor resectability is excellent.