Case report: ovarian sex cord tumour with annular tubules: imaging findings

Ovarian sex cord tumor with annular tubules: case report and review of the literature

OBJECTIVES

To report a case of ovarian sex cord tumor with annular tubules (SCTAT) and conduct a literature review on diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of this condition.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Case report of a woman with a final diagnosis of advanced SCTAT seen at the National Cancer Institute in Bogota (Colombia) who received surgical treatment and chemotherapy with a satisfactory course after 6 months. A literature search was conducted in the Medline via PubMed, LILACS and Scielo databases, including case reports and series of women diagnosed with SCTAT published since 1990, not using age ranges. Information about diagnosis, treatment and reported prognosis was retrieved. A narrative summary of the findings was prepared.

RESULTS

Fourteen publications with 26 patients were included. Mean age at diagnosis was 22.5 years. The main symptoms were menstruation abnormalities and pelvic pain. Computed tomography (CT) was the imaging technology most frequently used. Surgical treatment was used in all cases, together with chemotherapy in 29 %; 2 patients received radiotherapy. Recurrence occurred in 20 % of cases. Mortality was 12.5 %, with all deaths occurring within the first year.

CONCLUSIONS

There is a paucity of information about the diagnostic utility of imaging, tumor markers and histochemical studies, as well as prognosis of this disease condition. Surgery is the treatment of choice, taking into consideration the patient’s wishes regarding fertility, as well as the stage of the tumor. Further studies are needed to provide more detailed information about this condition.

Comprehensive review of imaging features of sex cord-stromal tumors of the ovary

Sex cord-stromal tumors of the ovary (SCST) are uncommon ovarian tumors arising from sex cord and/or stromal cells of the ovaries. They may be nonfunctional and asymptomatic or functional presenting with hyperestrogenic, hyperandrogenic or cushingoid symptoms. They present in a wide age group of women, mostly in early stages and follow a nonaggressive clinical course after surgical resection. They differ from more prevalent epithelial ovarian tumors which tend to present in older women in advanced stages with poor prognosis. Some of SCSTs are associated with clinical syndromes. We will review imaging features on ultrasound, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, epidemiology and clinical presentations of these tumors.

The value of MRI for differentiating benign from malignant sex cord-stromal tumors of the ovary: emphasis on diffusion-weighted MR imaging

Background

To investigate MRI for differentiating benign from malignant sex cord-stromal tumors of the ovary (SCSTs) emphasizing on the value of diffusion-weighted (DW) magnetic resonance (MR) imaging.

Methods

This retrospective study included 29 benign SCSTs in 28 patients and 13 malignant SCSTs in 13 patients. DW imaging as well as conventional MR imaging was performed. Signal intensity on DW imaging was assessed and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) value was measured. In addition, T2 signal intensity and contrast enhancement pattern were also assessed and compared between benign and malignant SCSTs.

Results

Both of the T2 hypointensity and mild enhancement were specific to benign SCSTs. The majority of malignant SCSTs showed high signal intensity on DW imaging, whereas most benign SCSTs showed low or moderate signal intensity (p = 0.000). Fibromas were the tumors with the lowest observed ADC value (0.470 × 10^− 3 mm²/s). Sclerosing stromal tumors were the tumors with the highest observed ADC value (2.291 × 10^− 3 mm²/s). ADC value of solid component was significantly lower in malignant SCSTs (0.825 ± 0.129 × 10^− 3 mm²/s) than in benign SCSTs (1.343 ± 0.528 × 10^− 3 mm²/s) when fibromas were excluded (p = 0.024). T2, DCE and DW imaging has a limited value on the differential diagnosis of the benign and malignant SCSTs with an accuracy of 69.0%,71.4% and 78.1% respectively. Combination of T2, DCE and DW imaging permitted the distinction with an accuracy of 88.0%.

Conclusions

It is more helpful for distinction of the benign and malignant SCSTs by combining of T2, DCE and DW imaging than using each of the three sequences independently.

Sonographic presentation of uterine sex cord-stromal tumor

A 24-year-old woman presented with continuous vaginal bleeding and anemia. Pelvic sonography demonstrated an enlarged uterus measuring 8.9 x 4.9 x 4.7 cm and a mass within the endometrial cavity measuring 3.0 x 1.8 cm. The mass appeared to be polypoid and echogenic, contained a small cyst, and was suggestive of a polyp. The patient underwent total vaginal hysterectomy. Pathologic examination revealed a uterine sex cord-stromal tumor. To our knowledge, the sonographic features of uterine sex cord-stromal tumor have not been previously reported. The sonographic appearance mimicked that of a polyp.