Diagnostic Efficiency of Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Positron Emission Tomography/ Computed Tomography for Pelvic Neoplasms

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the clinical diagnosis value of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) for pelvic neoplasms, and make comparisons between them, thereby to provide necessary references for health informatics. Methods: This retrospective analysis was carried out on the basis of 169 medical records of patients suffering from pelvic neoplasms in our hospital from February 2011 to February 2017. The definitive diagnosis was made by postoperative pathologic examinations, and all the participants ever reveiwed MRI or/and PET/CT examinations prior to surgery. The coincidence rates between MRI (or/and PET/CT) and pathological examinations were compared, respectively. The parameters of diagnostic efficiency including sensitivity, specitivity, accuracy, positive predictive value and negative predictive value were calculated, respectively. In further, we then made comprehensive comparison between MRI and PET/CT to provide references for clinical practice. The informed consents of patients were obtained beforehand, and this research protocol was approved by institutional review board in our hospital. Results: The total number of identified patients was 386, and the age range of these incuded participants was 37–84 (mean age: 68.3 years old). 124 patients ever underwent MRI, and 137 patients underwent PET/CT, and 125 patients underwent MRI and PET/CT. The resection specimens of 386 patients with pelvic neoplasms were subjected to pathological examinations, and it could be confirmed that 38 patients suffered from fibroid, 121 suffered from cervical cancer, 93 suffered from endometrial cancer, 105 suffered from ovarian cancer, 29 suffered from benign ovarian tumor. The accuracy rate of MRI in detecting pelvic malignancies was 81.55%, PET/CT was 94.74%, and MRI combined with PET/CT was 97.06%. PET/CT is superior in staging pelvic malignancies and detecting distant metastasis, when compared with CT. But the combination of PET/CT and MRI could not obviously improve the accuracy rate of pelvic malignancies diagnosis. Conclusions: The primary pelvic neoplasms included fibroid, cervical cancer, endometrial cancer, ovarian cancer, and benign ovarian tumor. The total accuracy rate of MRI diagnosis was lower than PET/CT and the combination of MRI and PET/CT. Nevertheless, the combination of MRI and PET/CT resulted in additional medical costs, which could not bring more benefits for patients with pelvic malignancies. Whether the combination of MRI and PET/CT should be adopted needs further randomized controlled trials and economic evaluation to evaluate.