Female Gential tract

MR Imaging of the Uterine Cervix: Imaging-Pathologic Correlation
http://radiographics.rsna.org/content/23/2/425.full
Yoshikazu Okamoto, MD ; Yumiko O. Tanaka, MD ; Masato Nishida, MD ; Hajime Tsunoda, MD ; Hiroyuki Yoshikawa, MD ; Yuji Itai, MD

1From the Department of Radiology, Tsukuba University Hospital, 2-1-1 Amakubo, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8576, Japan (Y.O.); the Departments of Radiology (Y.O.T., Y.I.) and Obstetrics and Gynecology (H.T., H.Y.), Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tsukuba; and the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Kasumigaura Hospital, Tsuchiura, Japan (M.N.). Recipient of a Cum Laude award for an education exhibit at the 2001 RSNA scientific assembly. Received March 25, 2002; revision requested April 30 and received June 13; accepted June 14.

Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging is useful not only for preoperative staging of gynecologic malignancies but also for prediction of the histopathologic features of a variety of intrapelvic tumors. Familiarity with the specific imaging findings that have been reported for the uterine cervix is a goal of radiologists. The typical MR imaging findings of uterine cervical lesions correspond to the histopathologic features. These lesions can be categorized as epithelial neoplasms, nonepithelial neoplasms, and nonneoplastic diseases. Cervical carcinoma accounts for most cases of malignant lesions and is staged by using the classification system established by the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. MR imaging allows differentiation between endophytic and exophytic growth and between normal and abnormal findings after hysterectomy and irradiation. Other epithelial neoplasms of the uterine cervix include adenoma malignum, which is a special type of cervical adenocarcinoma, as well as carcinoid tumor and malignant melanoma. Nonepithelial neoplasms of the uterine cervix include malignant lymphoma and leiomyoma. Nonneoplastic diseases of the uterine cervix include cervical pregnancy, cervicitis, nabothian cysts, polyps, and endometriosis.