Gaiane M. Rauch
University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, USA
Title: MR imaging of gynecological malignancies
Biography
Biography: Gaiane M. Rauch
Abstract
MR imaging plays an important role in the evaluation of disease extent, treatment planning and follow up in patients with gynecologic malignancies. For cervical cancer patients MR imaging improves FIGO clinical staging leading to better treatment selection, monitors response to treatment, helps in planning of radiotherapy, including brachytherapy, which improves local control and survival. MR imaging in endometrial cancer provides accurate surgical planning, differentiating low risk disease that doesn’t need extensive surgery from high risk patients that require pelvic and papraaortic nodal dissection. MR imaging is essential for endometrial and cervical cancer patients that desire fertility preservation assessing patient’s eligibility for fertility sparing surgical procedures. For ovarian malignancies MR imaging serves as a problem solving tool. MR imaging is not part of the FIGO staging of vaginal cancer, however there is increased evidence that it provides accurate assessment of local disease extent, guiding treatment planning. High resolution MR imaging is an important part of multidisciplinary approach for gynecological malignancies - an approach that provides accurate staging, re-staging, risk stratification and individualized treatment.