The aim of the study was to evaluate the efficiency of low-field (0.14 T) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer of the cervix uteri.
Materials and methods: Low-field MRI was performed in 39 patients with cancer of the cervix uteri to define the stage of the tumor and to follow up the outcomes of their treatment. Particular emphasis was laid on the determination of the size of the tumor and the presence of parametral invasion and on metastatic lesions of lymph nodes. MRI data were compared with clinical, morphological, and surgical staging results. In detecting the stage of cancer of the cervix uteri, the accuracy of MRI was 72% whereas that of clinical study was 51%. In determining parametral invasion, the accuracy of clinical study and low-field MRI was 71 and 90%, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of MRI were 83 and 92%, respectively. The anterioposterior tumor size was an important prognostic factor in following up the outcomes of treatment as there was its close association and the incidence of tumor recurrences. The present study has indicated that the high efficiency of low-field MRI in detecting the stage of invasive cancer of cervix uteri makes it the method of choice in planning treatment and monitoring the outcomes of combined radiation therapy.