MAGNETIC-RESONANCE-IMAGING IN THE PREOPERATIVE EVALUATION OF SUSPECTED OVARIAN MASSES

Meticulous pretreatment evaluation is basic to the successful managmen t of suspected ovarian masses. Among currently available imaging techn iques, sonography and computerized tomography are the most important d iagnostic modalities. The purpose of our study was to determine whethe r magnetic resonance imaging provided additional information on masses in the true pelvis. 73 patients with masses in the true pelvis under- went preoperative magnetic resonance imaging MRI was done with a 1.0 T supraconductive magnet (Magnetom Impact, Siemens). The results obtain ed were compared with sonographic (transabdominal and transvaginal), i ntraoperative and histopathologic findings. MR images were evaluated f or their information on differentiation between benign and malignant n eoplasm, tumor staging, lymph node involvement peritoneal spread, loca l extension and organ relation. MRI correctly characterized malignant and benign tumors in 97% of cases versus 81% on ultrasound. The site o f the primary tumor. was correctly diagnosed in 94% of cases on MRI im ages versus 86% on ultrasound images. Invasion of adjacent intestinal segments as well as peritoneal carcinomatosis and omental metastases ( metastasis >1 cm) were also detected in the majority of cases. Based o n our results MRI performs well at lesion detection and characterizati on in the evaluation of suspected ovarian masses. MRI should be consid ered in the investigation of patients with complicated findings on ult rasound.