Transvaginal/transrectal ultrasound for preoperative identification of high-risk cases in well- or moderately differentiated endometrioid carcinoma

Adenomyosis diagnosis among adolescents and young women with dysmenorrhoea and heavy menstrual bleeding

RESEARCH QUESTION

What is the prevalence of adenomyosis at ultrasonography among adolescents and young women reporting dysmenorrhoea and/or heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB)?

DESIGN

This observational cohort study involved adolescents and young women referred for dysmenorrhoea and/or HMB to the Adolescent Medicine Unit at Careggi University Hospital, Italy. Patients with endometriosis and bleeding disorders were excluded. Transvaginal ultrasonography or transrectal sonography using a transvaginal probe was performed. The myometrium was described according to the Morphological Uterus Sonographic Assessment criteria. Details of baseline characteristics, clinical data and symptoms were collected. The presence of sonographic features of adenomyosis and the association between imaging findings and clinical symptoms were evaluated.

RESULTS

The cohort included 95 patients aged between 13 and 25 years, referred for dysmenorrhoea (88.4%), HMB (23.2%) or both (13.7%). According to the MUSA criteria the sonographic diagnosis of adenomyosis was made in 27.4% of patients, with the diffuse type the most prevalent. Uterine wall asymmetry, hyperechoic intramyometrial islands, translesional vascularity and an interrupted junctional zone were the most common features. Patients with imaging findings of adenomyosis had significantly higher rates of HMB than those with a normal myometrial appearance (38.5% versus 17.4%, P = 0.030). In addition, the coexistence of dysmenorrhoea and HMB was significantly associated with adenomyosis (odds ratio 5.68, 95% confidence interval 1.65-19.5).

CONCLUSIONS

Adenomyosis may be diagnosed among teenagers and young women referred with dysmenorrhoea and/or HMB. The clinical presentation is relevant for the diagnosis, with HMB alone and HMB plus dysmenorrhoea significantly associated with the sonographic identification of adenomyosis.

Learning Curve for Ultrasound Assessment of Myometrial Infiltration in Endometrial Cancer Visualizing Videoclips: Potential Implications for Training

BACKGROUND

Diagnostic accuracy for estimating myometrial infiltration by ultrasound in endometrial cancer requires experience. The objective of this study is to determine the learning curve (LC) for assessing myometrial infiltration in cases of endometrial cancer using transvaginal ultrasound (TVS).

METHODS

Five trainees (one staff radiologist and four fourth-year OB/GYN residents) participated in this study. All trainees had experience in performing TVS, but none of them had specific training on the assessment of myometrial infiltration. Trainees were given one specific lecture about the topic, and then they observed videoclips from 10 cases explained by the trainer. After this, all trainees visualized 45 videoclips of uterine ultrasound scans of endometrial cancer cases. The assessment of myometrial infiltration was based on the subjective impression. Definitive histology was used as a reference standard. Trainees stated whether myometrial infiltration was ≥50% or <50%. LC-CUSUM and standard CUSUM graphics were plotted to determine how many cases were needed to reach competence, allowing a mistake rate of 15%.

RESULTS

All trainees completed the study. LC-CUSUM graphics showed that three trainees reached competence at the 33rd, 35th and 36th case, respectively. All three of them kept the process under control after reaching competence. One trainee reached competence but did not maintain it in the cumulative analysis. One trainee did not reach competence.

CONCLUSION

Our study suggests that 30-40 cases would be needed to be trained for assessing myometrial infiltration by TVS by visual interpretation of videoclips by most trainees.

Transvaginal Ultrasound Versus Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Assessing Myometrial Infiltration in Endometrioid Low Grade Endometrial Cancer: A Prospective Study

OBJECTIVE

To compare the diagnostic accuracy of transvaginal ultrasound (TVS) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for assessing myometrial infiltration (MI) in patients with low grade endometrioid endometrial cancer.

METHODS

Observational prospective study performed at a single tertiary care center from 2016 to 2020, comprising 156 consecutive patients diagnosed by endometrial sampling as having an endometrioid grade 1/grade 2 endometrial cancer. TVS and MRI were performed prior to surgical staging for assessing MI, which was estimated using subjective examiner's impression and Karlsson's method for both TVS and MRI. During surgery, intraoperative assessment of MI was also performed. Definitive pathological study considered as reference standard. Diagnostic accuracy for ultrasound, MRI, and intraoperative biopsy was estimated and compared.

RESULTS

Sensitivity and specificity of TVS for detecting deep MI were 75 and 73.5% for subjective impression and 65 and 70% for Karlsson method, respectively (P = .54). Sensitivity and specificity of MRI for detecting deep MI were 80 and 87% for subjective impression and 70 and 71.3% for Karlsson method. MRI subjective impression showed a significant better specificity than MRI Karlsson method (P = .03). MRI showed better specificity than TVS when subjective impression was considered (P <.05), but not for Karlsson method. Sensitivity and specificity of intraoperative were 75 and 97%, respectively. Intraoperative biopsy showed better specificity than ultrasound and MRI either using examiner's impression or Karlsson method (P <.05).

CONCLUSIONS

MRI revealed a significant higher specificity than TVS when assessing deep myometrial infiltration. However, the intraoperative biopsy offers a significant better diagnostic accuracy than preoperative imaging techniques.

Transvaginal ultrasound versus magnetic resonance imaging for preoperative assessment of myometrial infiltration in patients with endometrial cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective

To compare the diagnostic accuracy of transvaginal ultrasound (TVS) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for detecting myometrial infiltration (MI) in endometrial carcinoma.

Methods

An extensive search of papers comparing TVS and MRI in assessing MI in endometrial cancer was performed in MEDLINE (PubMed), Web of Science, and Cochrane Database from January 1989 to January 2017. Quality was assessed using Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2 (QUADAS-2) tool.

Results

Our extended search identified 747 citations but after exclusions we finally included in the meta-analysis 8 articles. The risk of bias for most studies was low for most 4 domains assessed in QUADAS-2. Overall, pooled estimated sensitivity and specificity for diagnosing deep MI were 75% (95% confidence interval [CI]=67%–82%) and 82% (95% CI=75%–93%) for TVS, and 83% (95% CI=76%–89%) and 82% (95% CI=72%–89%) for MRI, respectively. No statistical differences were found when comparing both methods (p=0.314). Heterogeneity was low for sensitivity and high for specificity for TVS and MRI.

Conclusion

MRI showed a better sensitivity than TVS for detecting deep MI in women with endometrial cancer. However, the difference observed was not statistically significant.

Assessment of levels of the tumor markers HE4 and CA125 considering staging, grading and histological types of endometrial cancer

Aim of the study

Aim of the study was to assess statistical differences of serum levels of HE4 and CA125 between certain endometrial cancer stages, grading and histological types.

Material and methods

A retrospective study of 52 patients admitted to our clinic for a surgical operation because of endometrial cancer was performed. HE4 and CA125 were measured for each patient. The staging was done according to FIGO. The statistical difference of serum levels of tumor markers was analyzed considering different stages, grading and histological types.

Results

Most of the patients (92.31%) were post-menopausal. Serum levels of tumor markers were significantly higher among patients with stage IB-IIIC than stage IA, among patients with stages II-III than stage I and among patients with stage IIIC than stage IA-IIIB. Only HE4 was significantly higher among patients with stage IB than stage IA and among patients with grading G2 and G3 than those with G1. Only CA125 was significantly higher among patients with stage IIIA and IIIB than those with stages I and II. There was no statistically significant difference in level of either tumor marker in differentiation of endometrioid from other histological endometrial cancer.

Conclusions

Both tumor markers HE4 and CA125 can be useful additional tools for pre-surgical differentiation between different stages of endometrial cancer. HE4 can predict advanced histological grades. Neither HE4 nor CA125 can differentiate endometrioid from other histological types of endometrial cancer.

Transvaginal/transrectal ultrasound for assessing myometrial invasion in endometrial cancer: a comparison of six different approaches

OBJECTIVE

To compare the diagnostic performance of six different approaches for assessing myometrial infiltration using ultrasound in women with carcinoma of the corpus uteri.

METHODS

Myometrial infiltration was assessed by two-dimensional (2D) transvaginal or transrectal ultrasound in 169 consecutive women with well (G1) or moderately (G2) differentiated endometrioid type endometrial carcinoma. In 74 of these women three-dimensional (3D) ultrasound was also performed. Six different techniques for myometrial infiltration assessment were evaluated. The impression of examiner and Karlsson's criteria were assessed prospectively. Endometrial thickness, tumor/uterine 3D volume ratio, tumor distance to myometrial serosa (TDS), and van Holsbeke's subjective model were assessed retrospectively. All subjects underwent surgical staging within 1 week after ultrasound evaluation. Definitive histopathological data regarding myometrial infiltration was used as gold standard. Sensitivity and specificity for all approaches were calculated and compared using McNemar test.

RESULTS

The impression of examiner and subjective model performed similarly (sensitivity 79.5% and 80.5%, respectively; specificity 89.6% and 90.3%, respectively). Both methods had significantly better sensitivity than Karlsson's criteria (sensitivity 31.8%, p<0.05) and endometrial thickness (sensitivity 47.7%, p<0.05), and better specificity than tumor/uterine volume ratio (specificity 28.3%, p<0.05) and TDS (specificity 41.5%, p<0.05).

CONCLUSION

Subjective impression seems to be the best approach for assessing myometrial infiltration in G1 or G2 endometrioid type endometrial cancer by transvaginal or transrectal ultrasound. The use of mathematical models and other objective 2D and 3D measurement techniques do not improve diagnostic performance.

Agreement between preoperative transvaginal ultrasound and intraoperative macroscopic examination for assessing myometrial infiltration in low-risk endometrioid carcinoma

OBJECTIVE

To compare diagnostic performance of preoperative transvaginal ultrasound (TVS) and intraoperative macroscopic examination for determining myometrial infiltration in women with low-risk endometrial cancer, and to estimate the agreement between the two methods.

METHODS

This was a single-center observational study comprising women with preoperative diagnosis of well- or moderately differentiated endometrioid carcinoma of the endometrium. All women underwent preoperative TVS by a single examiner. According to the examiner's subjective impression, myometrial infiltration was stated as ≥ 50% or < 50%. Surgical staging was performed in all cases. Intraoperative macroscopic examination of the removed uterus was performed by pathologists who were unaware of the ultrasound findings, and myometrial infiltration was stated as ≥ 50% or < 50%. Definitive histological diagnosis of myometrial infiltration was made by frozen section analysis and was used as the gold standard. Sensitivity and specificity with 95% CIs were calculated for TVS and intraoperative macroscopic inspection and compared using McNemar's test. Agreement between TVS and intraoperative macroscopic inspection was estimated using Cohen's kappa index (κ) and percentage of agreement.

RESULTS

Of 209 eligible women, 152 were ultimately included. Mean (± SD) age was 60.9 ± 10.2 years, with a range of 32-91 years. Definitive histological diagnosis revealed that myometrial infiltration was < 50% in 114 women and ≥ 50% in 38 women. Sensitivity and specificity of TVS for detecting deep myometrial infiltration were 81.6% and 89.5%, respectively, whereas the respective values for intraoperative macroscopic examination were 78.9% and 90.4% (McNemar's test, P > 0.05 when comparing TVS and intraoperative macroscopic examination). Agreement between methods was moderate with κ = 0.54 (95% CI, 0.39-0.69) and percentage of agreement of 82%.

CONCLUSIONS

Although the agreement between preoperative TVS and intraoperative macroscopic examination for detecting deep myometrial infiltration was only moderate, both methods had similar accuracy when compared with frozen section histology. Preoperative TVS might reasonably be proposed as a method for assessing myometrial infiltration as an alternative to intraoperative macroscopic examination, especially when performed by an experienced examiner and image quality is not poor. Copyright © 2015 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.