Tumour characterisation, staging and operability assessment in ovarian carcinoma: whole body diffusion-weighted MRI versus CT

Methods One-hundred-sixty-six patients suspected for ovarian carcinoma underwent 3T WB-DWI/MRI using 2 b-values (b=0-1000 s/mm), T2-weighted and contrast-enhanced T1-weighted sequences in addition to contrast-enhanced CT. WB-DWI/MRI and CT were independently and blindly evaluated and correlated with pathological findings at surgery as reference standard. Superiority was assessed using two-tailed McNemar tests for following parameters: characterisation of the malignant nature and primary origin of the ovarian mass, assessment of disease extent according to FIGO stage and prediction of R0-resection according to predefined operability criteria. Inter observer agreement for WB-DWI/MRI and CT was determined using Cohen’s kappa statistics.