T2-weighted fast spin-echo MR findings of adenocarcinoma of the uterine cervix: Comparison with squamous cell carcinoma

The purpose of this study was to investigate the differences in MR findings of adenocarcinoma (AO and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the uterine cer vix and to compare MR findings with pathologic findings. MR images of 17 pa tients with pathologically proven AC, using a fast: spin-echo (FSE) T2-weig hted image (T2WI) with pelvic phased-array coil on a 1.5-T unit, were retro spectively evaluated. After measurement of the signal intensity (SI) ratios of the region of interest between tumors and gluteus maximus muscle, we co mpared the ratios of BC with those of 16 patients with SCC. AC showed relat ively high SI on FSE T2WI with multiseptated lesions in four cases and hydr ometrocolpos in three cases. The mean SI ratio was 3.82+/-1.68 in AC and 2. 35+/-0.42 in SCC (p<0.0001, t-test). Multiple tumorous glands with cytoplas mic and intraglandular mucin or serous fluid were pathologically found in A C, but SCC revealed the compact cellularity of st ratified squamous tumor c ells. The cervical AC showed higher SI than SCC on FSE T2WI with occasional multiseptated lesions and hydrometrocolpos. If the SI ratio of the tumor w as more than 3.0, AC could be diagnosed with a sensitivity of 68.8% and a s pecificity of 100%.