Purpose: To investigate MRI in differentiating borderline mucinous cystadenoma (MC) from benign MC of the ovary.
Materials and methods: We studied MR images of 26 benign MCs and 24 borderline MCs of the ovary. The following MRI features of tumors were evaluated and compared between two groups: laterality, shape, size, loculation, signal intensity of the fluid, thickness of the septation and the wall, and vegetations. The results of the MRI were then compared with the pathological findings.
Results: Honeycomb loculi, high signal intensity on T1WI, and low signal intensity on T2WI of the intracystic content, thickened septation or wall (≥5 mm), and vegetations (≥5 mm) were significantly more common in borderline MC than in benign MC with the sensitivity and specificity of identifying borderline MC of 50.0% and 80.8%, 41.7% and 96.2%, 45.8% and 96.2%, and 62.5% and 96.2%, respectively. The presence of any one of the following features-honeycomb loculi with a low signal intensity on T2WI, thickened septation or wall (≥5 mm), and vegetations (≥5 mm)-yielded the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of identifying borderline MC of 91.7%, 92.3%, and 92.0%, respectively.
Conclusion: MRI has the ability to accurately demonstrate the morphological characteristics of ovarian MC and reliably differentiate borderline MC from benign MC.
Keywords: MRI; borderline; cystadenoma; mucinous; ovary.
Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.