Cervical carcinoma: efficacy of thin-section oblique axial T2-weighted images for evaluating parametrial invasion

Background: To investigate the efficacy of thin-section oblique axial T2-we ighted images in the assessment of parametrial invasion by cervical carcino ma. Methods: One hundred parametria of 50 patients with cervical carcinoma were evaluated with pathologic correlation. We compared the sensitivity, specif icity, and diagnostic accuracy in the assessment of parametrial invasion by cervical carcinoma between axial T2-weighted images and thin-section obliq ue axial T2-weighted images. Results: Thin-section oblique axial T2-weighted images provided accurate cr oss sections of the cenix with excellent detail and detected parametrial in vasion more accurately than did axial T2-weighted images showing cross sect ions of the trunk Although the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy for p arametrial invasion were 46.4%, 91.7%, and 79.0%, respectively, on axial T2 -weighted images, the corresponding values were 67.9%, 97.2%, and 89.0%, re spectively, on thin-section oblique axial T2-weighted images. There were st atistically significant differences in the sensitivity (p = 0.014), specifr city (p = 0.046), and accuracy (p = 0.002) in detecting parametrial invasio n between these two types of images. Conclusions: Thin-section oblique axial T2-weighted images are useful for t he assessment of parametrial invasion by cervical carcinoma.