Ultrasound imaging and clinical characteristics of primary fallopian tube carcinoma in peri-and post-menopausal women / 中华老年医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To analyze the characteristic ultrasonographic findings and clinical symptoms of primary fallopian tube cancer(PFTC)in peri-and post-menopausal women, and to provide a basis for the early diagnosis of PFTC via ultrasonography.Methods:A total of 34 patients with PFTC confirmed by surgery and pathology in Beijing Hospital from May 2012 to January 2022 were retrospectively analyzed.Patients aged between 46-85 years, including 1(2.9%)in early menopausal transition(46 years old), 3(8.8%)in late menopausal transition(48 years old, 49 years old, and 50 years old), and 30(88.2%)in post-menopause.The median age was 60 years(60.9±9.7 years). The ultrasound and clinical features were analyzed and compared with pathological results.Results:Irregular vaginal bleeding was the most common clinical symptom in the 34 patients.According to the characteristics of adnexal masses and the involvement of other organs in the pelvis and abdominal cavity, the 34 cases of PFTC were divided into 4 groups.In Group A, 6 cases showed sausage-like cystic masses in the adnexal area, with unsmooth inner walls, medium echo papillary projections on the inner wall, incomplete strip partitions, and rich or relatively rich blood flow signals on the papillary projections and partitions.On ultrasound, 1 case was diagnosed with hydrosalpinx, 2 cases with cysts in the adnexal area, and 3 cases with PFTC.In Group B, 13 cases presented with cystic or solid masses of irregular shapes and sausage-like changes in some areas.The cystic part had poor sound transmission and the solid part exhibited rich or relatively rich blood flow signals.On ultrasound, 2 cases were diagnosed with PFTC and 11 cases with ovarian cancer with 2 showing intrauterine effusion and 3 showing abdominal and pelvic effusion.There were 11 cases in Group C, presenting with hypoechoic irregular solid masses in the adnexal area, with some accompanied by thickening of the peritoneum of the anterior and posterior fornix and the omentum.There were abundant or relatively abundant blood flow signals inside the masses.On ultrasound, 10 cases were diagnosed with ovarian cancer and 1 with pelvic metastatic cancer.There were 4 cases in Group D, who showed no adnexal mass, but 3 cases had ascites and were suspected of having a malignant tumor of unknown origin.Postoperative pathological results of the 34 PFTC cases revealed that 30 had high-grade serous carcinoma, 1 had low-grade serous carcinoma, 2 had serous tubal intraepithelial carcinoma(STIC), and 1 had serous tubal in-situ carcinoma.There were 3 cases with bilateral PFTC, 10 cases with PFTC on the left and 21 cases on the right.There were 4 cases with PFTC plus ovarian cancer.According to FIGO pathological staging, 8 cases were in stage Ⅰ, 9 in stage Ⅱ, 11 in stage Ⅲ and 6 in stage Ⅳ.The accuracy of preoperative diagnosis of PFTC by ultrasound was 50.0% in Group A and 15.4% in Group B. Preoperative ultrasound did not correctly diagnose PFTC in Group C and Group D, and instead suggested pelvic malignant tumor.Conclusions:Clear display of bilateral ovaries, sausage-like masses in the adnexal area, abundant or relatively abundant low resistive index blood flow signals in papillary projections and low-speed neovascularization are helpful ultrasound signs for the early diagnosis of PFTC, but not very useful for predicting the pathological stages of PFTC.Postmenopausal woman with vaginal bleeding, vaginal secretions or lower abdominal pain should be alert to PFTC.