Ultrasound Strain Elastography Features in Patients with Early and Advanced Stages of Cervical Cancer

Kolbrún Pálsdóttir, Ole Mogensen and Elisabeth Epstein

Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, Karolinska Institute, Sweden
Division of Pelvic Cancer, Karolinska University Hospital, Sweden
Department of Clinical Science and Education, Karolinska Institute, Sweden

^*Correspondance to: Elisabeth Epstein 

 PDF  Full Text Research Article | Open Access

Abstract:

Ultrasound Strain Elastography (SE) can be added to conventional ultrasonography as a complement to examine tissue strain. The clinical value of SE in patients with cervical cancer has not been thoroughly studied. The objective of this study was to explore the SE features in patients with cervical cancer, and to assess if SE can improve tumor delineation. SE features were explored
prospectively in 30 women with all stages of cervical cancer. Tumor delineation was assessed using SE images and conventional Ultrasound (US) including power Doppler. Other SE features studied were tumor size, elasticity score, and strain ratio. SE improved tumor delineation in 40% (8/20) of early and 70% (7/10) of advanced tumors. Size agreement between SE and histology was excellent. An elasticity score of 4 to 5 was found in 45% (9/20) with early stage and 80% (8/10) with advanced disease (p=0.068). The maximal strain-ratio was significantly lower in early stages compared to advanced stages (1.9 SD ± 0.83 vs. SD ± 1.2, p<0.009). The results indicate that SE features differ in early and advanced stage disease, that SE may help in tumor delineation in advanced stage disease, and provide more accurate size measurements as compared to conventional US alone.

Keywords:

Strain Elastography; Cervical carcinoma; Strain ratio; Elasticity score; Transvaginal ultrasonography

Cite the Article:

Pálsdóttir K, Mogensen O, Epstein E. Ultrasound Strain Elastography Features in Patients with Early and Advanced Stages of Cervical Cancer. Clin Oncol. 2020;5:1757..