OVARIAN FIBROMAS AND CYSTADENOFIBROMAS - MRI FEATURES OF THE FIBROUS COMPONENT

Ovarian fibromas and cystadenofibromas are neoplasms that share a simi lar distinctive tissue component of dense fibrous tissue, We sought to describe the MRI features of these neoplasms and to determine if the fibrous component shows distinctive characteristics. Fourteen patients in whom MR images performed with multicoil and fast-spin-echo images and who subsequently underwent surgery for resection of ovarian fibrom as or cystadenofibromas were identified from two institutions, Five pa tients had ovarian fibromas, and nine patients had fourteen cystadenof ibromas. 1.5-T MR studies used TI-weighted spin echo and multiplanar T 2-weighted fast-spin-echo images, with fat saturation gadolinium-enhan ced fast multiplanar gradient-echo images in seven patients. Studies w ere reviewed for findings of low (approximate to skeletal muscle] sign al intensity solid components on T2-weighted images, characteristics o f gadolinium enhancement, and associated endometrial findings. Images were obtained ex vivo from three adnexal surgical specimens with an 8- cm held of view and correlated with histology, All five of the fibroma s showed predominantly very low signal intensity, similar to skeletal muscle, on T2-weighted images. Two of five fibromas were in patients w ith endometrial polyps and increased amounts of fluid in the pelvis. T hirteen cystadenofibromas were multicystic masses with bands of very l ow signal intensity ranging from 2 to 20 mm in the wall of the mass, a nd one was predominantly solid fibrous tissue, Pathologic correlation with specimen images showed that the low signal intensity material was the subepithelial fibrous component of the cystadeno-fibromas. Fibrou s components of ovarian fibromas and cystadenofibromas are demonstrabl e by MR as solid components representing fibrous tissue of very low si gnal intensity on T2-weighted images.