To assess the effectiveness of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) with endorectal surface coil in the staging of carcinoma of the uterine cervix with emphasis on parametrial involement. Thirty women with clinically and radiogreaphically proven
carcinoma
of the uterine cervix were initially included for this study, but thirteen patients were excluded since the stages of tumors were beyond stage Ⅱa. CT and MR findings of the remaining seventeen patients were performed at Cheil General Hospital
and
compared along with clinical findings the special emphasis on the parametrial involvement by the tumor. Staging was assessed by CT and MRI, and the results compared with the pathologic staging. Radical abdominal hysterectomy with the pelvic and
paraaortic lymphnode dissection was done to all seventeen patients.
The staging made primarily by CT and MRI was either stage I or Ⅱa, but MR images with endorectal surface coil was superior to CT in the visualization of depth of tumor infiltration, especially parametrial involvement. The determination of the
depth of
the tumor made by MR images showed statistically significant correlation with histologic evaluation(R=0.768, p<0.01). The accuracy rate for the evaluation of the parametrial involvement was 82.3% for CT and 94.1% for MRI with endorectal surface
coil.
The overall accuracy rate for tumor staging was 79.5% for clinical, 58.8% for CT and 82.3% for MR evaluation. The accuracy rate in evaluation of the pelvic and paraaortic lymphnode was 88.2% for CT, but the evaluation done by MRI was not adequate
due to
small FOV(field of view).
In assessment of the staging of carcinoma of the uterine cervix, MR images with endorectal surface coil was superior to CT, especially in the evaluation of the parametrial involvement.
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