Diagnostic Accuracy of Diffusion Weighted Imaging and Dynamic Imaging Techniques in Endometrial and Lymph Nodes Cancer Staging

Aims: Endometrial cancer is the most common malignancy of the female reproductive tract. As the prognosis factors, the determination of exact cancer stage and the differentiation of the lymph nodes plays a role in the selection of treatment plan and the rate of patient’s survival. The aim of this study was to investigate the diagnosis accuracy of dynamic and diffusion imaging techniques in the endometrial cancer staging as well as the differentiation of metastatic and non-metastatic lymph nodes. Materials & Methods: In this prospective study, 30 patients with endometrial cancer were studied in MRI ward of the imaging center of Imam Khomeini Hospital in Tehran in 2013-14. The subjects, selected by purposeful sampling method, underwent the pelvis imaging before the surgery. T1W and T2W scenes, the dynamic technique in phases including 25, 60, 120, and 240 seconds after the injection, and the diffusion technique (b= zero and 1000 s/mm) were used in the imaging. Data was analyzed by SPSS 22 software using kappa statistic, two-independent T test, and one-way ANOVA. Findings: The agreement rate between the results of radiology and pathology in the determination of the different cancer stages was approximately 0.8, showing a good and considerable result (p<0.001). The diagnostic authenticity rate of the dynamic and diffusion techniques was 0.83. The results of radiology and pathology were completely consistent regarding the differentiation between the metastatic and non-metastatic lymph nodes. In different cancer stages, as well as in the metastatic and non-metastatic lymph nodes, the mean age and number of fertility were not significantly different (p>0.05). Conclusion: In the differentiation between the metastatic and non-metastatic lymph nodes in patients with endometrial cancer, the diagnostic accuracy is increased by the diffusion techniques utilizing the routine scenes and the injection.