Treated ovarian cancer: MR imaging, laparotomy reassessment, and serum CA-125 values compared with clinical outcome at 1 year.

PURPOSE: To compare retrospectively the use of magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, laparotomy reassessment, and serum CA-125 values in predicting the presence of residual tumor in women who have been treated for ovarian cancer.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was approved by the institutional review board, and informed consent was waived. The study was compliant with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. Seventy-six women (mean age, 59 years) with treated ovarian cancer underwent preoperative MR imaging of the abdomen and pelvis with intravenous gadolinium-based and intraluminal barium contrast material. MR findings were compared with surgical and histopathologic findings, serial and static serum CA-125 values, and clinical follow-up results. Tumor absence was proved with normal surgical results and by following up patients for at least 1 year, with no evidence of residual tumor at serial CA-125 analysis or subsequent laparotomy. McNemar test for correlated proportions was used for statistical analysis.
RESULTS: Sixty-eight women had residual tumor proved at laparotomy and biopsy or at clinical follow-up. Eight patients had no evidence of residual tumor. Gadolinium-enhanced MR imaging depicted residual tumor in 61 patients (sensitivity, 90%; specificity, 88%; accuracy, 89%) compared with laparotomy, which demonstrated residual tumor in 60 patients (sensitivity, 88%; specificity, 100%; accuracy, 89%) and CA-125 values, which demonstrated residual tumor in 44 patients (sensitivity, 65%; specificity, 88%; accuracy, 67%) (P < .01). The positive predictive values for MR imaging, laparotomy, and serum CA-125 values were 98%, 100%, and 98%, respectively, whereas the corresponding negative predictive values were 50%, 50%, and 23%, respectively. In 14 patients, there was a discrepancy between the results of MR imaging and those of laparotomy. In seven patients, MR imaging depicted residual tumor that was not found at laparotomy but was proved at subsequent biopsy or clinical and imaging follow-up, with an increasing serum CA-125 level. In six patients, MR findings were normal, and subsequent laparotomy revealed small-volume residual tumor. Residual tumor was incorrectly predicted with MR imaging in one patient who had no surgical or clinical evidence of residual tumor for 1 year.
CONCLUSION: Gadolinium-enhanced spoiled gradient-echo MR imaging depicts residual tumor in women with treated ovarian cancer, with an accuracy, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value that are comparable to those of laparotomy and superior to those of serum CA-125 values alone. Copyright RSNA, 2005.