Current possibilities of ultrasonography in diagnosing local spread of endometrial cancer

Abstract

Background. The incidence of oncologic pathology in the female reproductive system is continually rising, highlighting the importance of finding new methods for early and precise diagnosis. This study aimed to determine the invasion depth of endometrial cancer through contrast-enhanced ultrasonography.
 Materials and methods. The study included 38 patients who were confirmed to have endometrial cancer. All patients underwent complex ultrasound examinations in real-time and grayscale mode. The qualitative assessment of vascularization in color and energy Doppler mapping modes was performed using contrast enhancement with the assessment of qualitative and quantitative parameters of contrast.
 Results. The results were compared with histological examination results from postoperative materials. The study identified contrasting qualitative parameters that are most indicative of endometrial cancer and quantitative parameters that are statistically significant and reliably distinguished the myometrium affected by the tumor from the unaffected myometrium (including peak intensity, time to peak intensity, and contrast half-life).
 Conclusions. Contrast enhancement increases the effectiveness of comprehensive ultrasonography in determining the invasion depth of endometrial cancer.