ADNEXAL MASSES; TO COMPARE THE DIAGNOSTIC ACCURACY OF TRANSABDOMINAL ULTRASONOGRAPHY AND CONTRAST ENHANCED MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING, IN THE CHARACTERIZATION OF ADNEXAL MASSES.

Objectives: To compare the diagnostic accuracy of transabdominal ultrasonography and contrast enhanced magnetic resonance imaging, in the differentiation of benign and malignant adnexal masses. Study Design: A prospective comparative study. Place and Duration of Study: Armed Forces Institute of Radiology and Imaging (AFIRI), Rawalpindi from 16 Jun 2015 to 15 Jun 2016. Methodology: 61 female patients with adnexal masses, irrespective of age, were evaluated with transabdominal ultrasonography and contrast enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This was followed by surgery (either laporotomy or laproscopy) or ultrasound guided biopsy and then histopathology to characterize them as benign or malignant masses. Results: Diagnostic accuracy of contrast enhanced MRI for characterization of adnexal masses was 90.1%, while that of transabdominal ultrasonography was 72.1 %. Sensitivity and specificity of transabdominal ultrasonography was 100 % and 54 % respectively while positive predictive value was 58.5 % and negative predictive value was 100 %. Sensitivity and specificity of MRI was 95.8 % and 86.4 % respectively while positive predictive value was 82.1% while negative predictive value was 96.9 %. Conclusion: Contrast enhanced MRI has a superior diagnostic accuracy as compared to transabdominal ultrasonography in the characterization of adnexal masses into benign and malignant, which influences the mode of treatment and clinical outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]