Magnetic resonance imaging features of fallopian tube carcinoma

A Preliminary Report Requiring Continuation of Research to Confirm Fallopian Tube Adenocarcinoma: A Non-Experimental, Non-Randomized, Cross-Sectional Study

Background

Transvaginal ultrasound has fair characteristics, and pathology is an invasive technique for fallopian tube tumor diagnosis. Magnetic resonance images have better intra- and inter-observer reliabilities for detection of primary fallopian tube malignant tumor(s) than the other diagnostic modalities. The purpose of this study was to investigate parameters of different types of magnetic resonance images for women with fallopian tube adenocarcinoma and to compare these parameters with the FIGO grading system to improve the accuracy of diagnosis and prognosis.

Material/Methods

A total of 121 women who had clinically-proven fallopian tube adenocarcinoma were included in this cross-sectional study. A 3.0 T magnetic resonance images system was used for spin-lattice relaxation-weighted (T1WI), spin-spin relaxation-weighted (T2WI), diffusion-weighted, (DWI), and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) images. ANOVA following Tukey post hoc tests and Spearman rank correlation were performed at 99% confidence level.

Results

Axial T1WI, axial T2WI, and axial DWI, were provided low, intermediate, and high fluid signal intensity, respectively, for a tumor. Sagittal T1WI showed contrast uptake by the mass with necrosis. Sagittal T2WI showed a solid mass with well-defined walls. Sagittal DWI showed restriction to diffusion. ADC values were significantly higher for FIGO grade 1 women than for FIGO grade 3 women (p<0.0001, q=16.591). The Spearman correlation coefficient was 0.1012 between mean ADC and FIGO grading.

Conclusions

We recommend that magnetic resonance images be included in the FIGO guideline for grading of malignancies in the female genital tract.

Identifying features of primary fallopian tube carcinoma using magnetic resonance imaging

Definitively diagnosing primary fallopian tube carcinoma (PFTC) prior to surgery is difficult. In the first working diagnosis, PFTC is often misdiagnosed as ovarian cancer. Preoperative workups using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are capable of differentiating PFTC from epithelial ovarian carcinomas (EOCs). Both the sensitivity and the specificity of MRI for identifying PFTC are high. The presence of a hydrosalpinx is a hallmark of PFTC. On MRI, hydrosalpinges have characteristic sausage-shaped appearances due to intrauterine fluid accumulation and fallopian tube distention. Additionally, MRI scans are superior to computed tomography (CT) scans or ultrasound images in detecting tumor infiltration into surrounding organs. Here, we report a case in which PFTC was pre-operatively misdiagnosed as EOC.