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Simple ultrasound-based rules for the diagnosis of ovarian cancer

Timmerman, D. ; Testa, A. C. ; Bourne, T. ; Ameye, L. ; Jurkovic, D. ; Van Holsbeke, C. ; Paladini, D. ; Van Calster, B. ; Vergote, I. and Van Huffel, S. , et al. (2008) In Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology 31(6). p.681-690
Abstract
Objective To derive simple and clinically useful ultrasound-based rules for discriminating between benign and malignant adnexal masses. Methods In a multicenter study involving nine centers consecutive patients with persistent adnexal tumors underwent transvaginal gray-scale and Doppler ultrasound examination using a standardized examination technique and standardized terms and definitions. Information on 42 gray-scale ultrasound variables and six Doppler variables was collected and entered into a research protocol. When developing simple ultrasound-based rules to predict malignancy (M-rules) we chose the ultrasound variable or the combination of ultrasound variables that bad the highest positive predictive value (PPV) with regard to... (More)
Objective To derive simple and clinically useful ultrasound-based rules for discriminating between benign and malignant adnexal masses. Methods In a multicenter study involving nine centers consecutive patients with persistent adnexal tumors underwent transvaginal gray-scale and Doppler ultrasound examination using a standardized examination technique and standardized terms and definitions. Information on 42 gray-scale ultrasound variables and six Doppler variables was collected and entered into a research protocol. When developing simple ultrasound-based rules to predict malignancy (M-rules) we chose the ultrasound variable or the combination of ultrasound variables that bad the highest positive predictive value (PPV) with regard to malignancy; when developing simple rules to predict a benign tumor (B-rules) we chose the ultrasound variable or the combination of ultrasound variables that had the lowest PPV with regard to malignancy. We selected ten rules that were in agreement with our clinical experience and were applicable to at least 30 tumors and then tested them prospectively on 507 tumors examined in three of the nine centers. Results 1066 patients with 1233 adnexal tumors were included. There were 903 benign tumors (73%) and 330 malignant tumors (27%). In 167 patients the tumors were bilateral. We selected five simple rules to predict malignancy (M-rules): (1) irregular solid tumor; (2) ascites; (3) at least four papillary structures; (4) irregular multilocular-solid tumor with a largest diameter of at least 100 mm; and (5) very high color content on color Doppler examination. We chose five simple rules to suggest a benign tumor (B-rules): (1) unilocular cyst; (2) presence of solid components where the largest solid component is < 7 mm in largest diameter; (3) acoustic shadows; (4) smooth multilocular tumor less than 100 mm in largest diameter; and (S) no detectable blood flow on Doppler examination. These ten rules were applicable to 76% of all tumors, where they resulted in a sensitivity of 93%, specificity of 90%, positive likelihood ratio (LR+) of 9.45 and negative likelihood ratio (LR-) of 0.08. When prospectively tested the rules were applicable in 76% (386/507) of the tumors, where they had a sensitivity of 95% (106/112), a specificity of 91% (249/274), LR+ of 10.37, and LR- of 0.06. Conclusion Most adnexal tumors in an ordinary tumor population can be correctly classified as benign or malignant using simple ultrasound-based rules. For tumors that cannot be classified using simple rules, ultrasound examination by an expert examiner might be useful. Copyright (C) 2008 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. (Less)
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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
ultrasonography, color Doppler imaging, ovarian neoplasms
in
Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology
volume
31
issue
6
pages
681 - 690
publisher
John Wiley & Sons Inc.
external identifiers
  • wos:000257502000013
  • scopus:54549114278
  • pmid:18504770
ISSN
1469-0705
DOI
10.1002/uog.5365
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
142088ee-1fed-49b4-8ba5-6685b0108048 (old id 1255260)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 15:01:19
date last changed
2022-04-22 06:25:51
@article{142088ee-1fed-49b4-8ba5-6685b0108048,
  abstract     = {{Objective To derive simple and clinically useful ultrasound-based rules for discriminating between benign and malignant adnexal masses. Methods In a multicenter study involving nine centers consecutive patients with persistent adnexal tumors underwent transvaginal gray-scale and Doppler ultrasound examination using a standardized examination technique and standardized terms and definitions. Information on 42 gray-scale ultrasound variables and six Doppler variables was collected and entered into a research protocol. When developing simple ultrasound-based rules to predict malignancy (M-rules) we chose the ultrasound variable or the combination of ultrasound variables that bad the highest positive predictive value (PPV) with regard to malignancy; when developing simple rules to predict a benign tumor (B-rules) we chose the ultrasound variable or the combination of ultrasound variables that had the lowest PPV with regard to malignancy. We selected ten rules that were in agreement with our clinical experience and were applicable to at least 30 tumors and then tested them prospectively on 507 tumors examined in three of the nine centers. Results 1066 patients with 1233 adnexal tumors were included. There were 903 benign tumors (73%) and 330 malignant tumors (27%). In 167 patients the tumors were bilateral. We selected five simple rules to predict malignancy (M-rules): (1) irregular solid tumor; (2) ascites; (3) at least four papillary structures; (4) irregular multilocular-solid tumor with a largest diameter of at least 100 mm; and (5) very high color content on color Doppler examination. We chose five simple rules to suggest a benign tumor (B-rules): (1) unilocular cyst; (2) presence of solid components where the largest solid component is &lt; 7 mm in largest diameter; (3) acoustic shadows; (4) smooth multilocular tumor less than 100 mm in largest diameter; and (S) no detectable blood flow on Doppler examination. These ten rules were applicable to 76% of all tumors, where they resulted in a sensitivity of 93%, specificity of 90%, positive likelihood ratio (LR+) of 9.45 and negative likelihood ratio (LR-) of 0.08. When prospectively tested the rules were applicable in 76% (386/507) of the tumors, where they had a sensitivity of 95% (106/112), a specificity of 91% (249/274), LR+ of 10.37, and LR- of 0.06. Conclusion Most adnexal tumors in an ordinary tumor population can be correctly classified as benign or malignant using simple ultrasound-based rules. For tumors that cannot be classified using simple rules, ultrasound examination by an expert examiner might be useful. Copyright (C) 2008 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley &amp; Sons, Ltd.}},
  author       = {{Timmerman, D. and Testa, A. C. and Bourne, T. and Ameye, L. and Jurkovic, D. and Van Holsbeke, C. and Paladini, D. and Van Calster, B. and Vergote, I. and Van Huffel, S. and Valentin, Lil}},
  issn         = {{1469-0705}},
  keywords     = {{ultrasonography; color Doppler imaging; ovarian neoplasms}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{6}},
  pages        = {{681--690}},
  publisher    = {{John Wiley & Sons Inc.}},
  series       = {{Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology}},
  title        = {{Simple ultrasound-based rules for the diagnosis of ovarian cancer}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/uog.5365}},
  doi          = {{10.1002/uog.5365}},
  volume       = {{31}},
  year         = {{2008}},
}