Differentiation of benign and malignant adnexal masses: value of a morphologic scoring system

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess the value of conventional gray-scale ultrasonography, based on a morphologic scoring system, in the differential diagnosis of malignant and benign adnexal tumors.

Material and methods: A total of 58 adnexal masses in 51 patients were classified prospectively as suggestive of malignant or benign, on the basis of gray-scale ultrasonographic morphology. The results were correlated with histopathological diagnosis.

Results: Histopathology of 42 masses was found to be benign and 16 masses were found to be malignant. On gray-scale analysis 15 of 16 malignant masses were classified as suggestive of malignant and 37 of 42 benign masses were classified as suggestive of benign. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value are calculated as 93%, 88%, 75%, and 97%, respectively.

Conclusion: Prediction of malignancy using gray scale ultrasonograhy based on a morphological scoring system was reliable (NPV = 97%, PPV = 93%). However further investigations about the assessment of adnexal masses with ultrasonography are needed

Adnexal masses; Gray-scale ultrasonography; Malignancy

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