Adenomyosis and leiomyoma: differential diagnosis with MR imaging

Mark A. Schnitzler, A S Mark, Mark AS, Hricak H, Hedvig Hricak, H Hricak, Heinrichs LW, L W Heinrichs, Michael Hendrickson, Hendrickson MR, M R Hendrickson, Winkler ML, M L Winkler, Bachica JA, J A Bachica, Stickler JE, J E Stickler
Radiology · 1987 · vol. 163(2) , pp. 527–529 · doi:10.1148/radiology.163.2.3562836 · PMID:3562836 · W2165290782
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MR imaging correctly diagnosed all eight cases of adenomyosis by identifying junctional zone thickening or poorly marginated low-signal-intensity masses.

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Abstract

To assess the capability of magnetic resonance (MR) imaging to enable differentiation of adenomyosis from leiomyoma, a prospective study was performed in 21 premenopausal patients with a strong clinical suggestion of adenomyosis. Histologic findings from hysterectomy (19 patients) and biopsy specimens (two patients) showed that eight patients had adenomyosis (three focal, five diffuse) and 12 had leiomyomas (five of the 12 also had microscopic foci of adenomyosis); one patient had a normal uterus. All eight cases of adenomyosis were correctly diagnosed from MR images. On T2-weighted MR images, diffuse adenomyosis appeared as a thickening of the junctional zone, whereas focal adenomyosis appeared as a low-signal-intensity mass poorly marginated from the adjacent myometrium. Ten of the 12 leiomyomas were correctly diagnosed from MR images. In the other two cases of leiomyoma, differentiation between focal adenomyosis and leiomyoma was not possible. Microscopic foci of adenomyosis were not demonstrated with MR imaging.

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Condition tags

endometriosisadenomyosis

MeSH descriptors

Endometriosis Leiomyoma Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy Uterine Neoplasms Adult Adult Biopsy Biopsy Diagnosis, Differential Diagnosis, Differential Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Female Female Humans Humans Hysterectomy Hysterectomy

Citation neighborhood (2-hop)

Papers in the corpus that this work cites (lower rings, blue) and that cite this one (upper rings, green). Dot size scales with the paper's in-corpus citation count — bigger dot = more influential within the endo/adeno field. Click a dot to open that paper. Outer rings show 2-hop neighbours — papers reached through the immediate citers/citees. [ collapse to 1-hop ]

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