ABSTRACT
Objective: To determine the effectiveness of MRI in characterizing sonographically indeterminate female adnexal masses as benign or malignant
Study Design: Quasi experimental study
Duration and Place: This study was from March 2010 till March 2011 at the departments of Radiology, Surgery, Gynecology and Pathology at Jinnah postgraduate medical center Karachi and PNS SHIFA hospital, Karachi
Methodology: Female patients diagnosed as having indeterminate adnexal masses on pelvic ultrasound were included in this study. These patients were subjected to contrast enhanced MRI of the pelvis. The MRI results were interpreted by two senior consultant radiologists who did not perform the initial ultrasounds and had no knowledge of the ultrasound reports. The MRI results were compared with the final diagnosis of the patients achieved through histopathology or clinical follow up
Results: Hundred women participated in this study. The mean age of participants was 39 +/- 13 years. The most common site for pelvic masses was right adnexa [43%]. The consistency of masses was cystic in 37% and solid in 36% cases. Malignant lesions were found on MRI in 46% of cases and on histopathology in 44% cases. The Sensitivity and Specificity of MRI in characterizing adnexal masses as malignant was 100% and 96.43% respectively. The Positive Predictive Value [PPV] and Negative Predictive Value [NPV] of MRI in characterizing adnexal masses as malignant was 0.96 and 1 respectively
Conclusion: This study concluded that MRI is highly accurate and precise in characterizing the ultrasonographic indeterminate pelvic masses as benign or malignant