THE COMPARATIVE STUDY OF USG AND MDCT IN THE EVALUATION OF PELVIC MASSES IN FEMALES

Introduction: Pelvic masses in females of all ages are a routine gynaecological issue for which healthcare is sought, and in a populous country like India, these masses form a significant part of the disease burden. The evaluation of the female pelvis is a radiological necessity and a challenge. The foremost aim for any imaging modality in this scenario is to rule out malignancy in the mass, and further to characterise and define the mass so as to guide appropriate management of the patient. Of the wide range of imaging modalities available, ultrasonography and computed tomography are commonly available and extensively used for the evaluation of the varied female pelvic masses. We studied the ultrasonography and multi detector computed tomography findings and their usefulness in the diagnosis and characterization of various pelvic masses in females. Methodology: It was a prospective observational study, ranging over the duration of one and a half years,of 100 female patients fulfilling inclusion criteria, who underwent ultrasonography and multidetector computed tomography scanning in the Department of Radiodiagnosis at RNT medical college, Udaipur. Pelvic masses were evaluated for origin, size, margins, composition, vascularity, ascites, lymphadenopathy and other features to characterise as benign or malignant. Final diagnosis was by histopathological correlation. Results: The most common age group belonged to 35-45 years group (22%) followed by 55-65 years group (21%). Mean age for benign masses was 35.84 years and for malignant masses was 51.64 years. Ovarian origin was the commonest followed by uterine origin. Features like solid areas, ill-defined margins, lymphadenopathy and ascites favoured malignancy. Most common pathologies were adenocarcinoma ovary, carcinoma cervix, benign ovarian cysts and uterine fibroids. Conclusion: Ultrasonography is often the first imaging study performed in patients with symptoms related to the pelvis. Results indicated higher diagnostic capability of CT as a problem-solving tool. Overall diagnostic accuracy of CT was higher than USG in characterising both benign and malignant pelvic masses.