HISTOPATHOLOGY OF UTERINE CERVICAL-CARCINOMA - DIAGNOSTIC COMPARISON OF ENDORECTAL SURFACE COIL AND STANDARD BODY COIL MRI

Objective: We compared body coil (BC) MR images and endorectal surface coil (ERC) images with respect to the visualization of the cervix and adjacent tissues and the histopathologic correlations of the imaging findings. Materials and Methods: Twenty-one patients with cervical car cinoma underwent MRI using both coils for evaluation of the cervix and adjacent tissues. In all patients, surgical confirmation of the diagn osis was obtained after imaging. Results: The ERC images were superior to BC images for visualization of the cervix, parametrium, anterior v aginal wall, and posterior bladder wall (p < 0.005). The accuracy of d etecting parametrial invasion by ERC and BC imaging was, respectively, 95 and 79% (p < 0.05), while the differences of accuracy between BC a nd ERC imaging were not statistically significant in staging or in ass essing for invasion to corpus, vagina, bladder, and rectum. All the fa lse-positive sites of parametrial invasion on BC images were diagnosed correctly on ERC images. Conclusion: Endorectal surface coil imaging is useful in assessing the extent of cervical carcinoma, especially pa rametrial invasion, because it can delineate the tumor and the normal tissues in detail.