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MRI Findings and Differential Diagnosis of Benign and Malignant Tumors of the Uterine Corpus

자궁체부의 양성 및 악성 종양의 자기공명영상 소견과 감별 진단

  • Jihyun Kim (Department of Radiology, Chonnam National University Hospital, Chonnam National University Medical School) ;
  • Suk Hee Heo (Department of Radiology, Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital, Chonnam National University Medical School) ;
  • Sang Soo Shin (Department of Radiology, Chonnam National University Hospital, Chonnam National University Medical School) ;
  • Yong Yeon Jeong (Department of Radiology, Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital, Chonnam National University Medical School)
  • 김지현 (전남대학교 의과대학 전남대학교병원 영상의학과) ;
  • 허숙희 (전남대학교 의과대학 화순전남대학교병원 영상의학과) ;
  • 신상수 (전남대학교 의과대학 전남대학교병원 영상의학과) ;
  • 정용연 (전남대학교 의과대학 화순전남대학교병원 영상의학과)
  • Received : 2021.06.21
  • Accepted : 2021.08.24
  • Published : 2021.09.01

Abstract

The uterus can be largely divided into the uterine corpus and uterine cervix. Diseases that can occur in the uterine corpus, composed of the endometrium and myometrium, vary from benign to malignant tumors. Ultrasound and CT are the primary non-invasive evaluation methods to differentiate between benign and malignant tumors, but in some cases, they are difficult to differentiate due to their non-specific imaging findings. However, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which has high resolution, helps not only in locating lesions but also in evaluating histological characteristics and staging of malignant tumors. In this review article, the characteristic MRI findings that radiologists should be aware of regarding various benign and malignant tumors detected in the uterine corpus are summarized with their points of differentiation.

자궁은 크게 자궁체부와 자궁경부로 나뉜다. 이 중 자궁내막과 자궁근층으로 이루어진 자궁체부에는 양성에서 악성 종양까지 다양한 질환이 발생한다. 비침습적인 일차적 평가로 초음파와 컴퓨터단층촬영이 있으나 비특이적인 영상 소견으로 감별이 어려운 경우가 있다. 반면 높은 해상도와 병리학적 특성 파악이 가능한 자기공명영상은 병변의 위치 확인뿐만 아니라 조직학적 특징, 그리고 악성 종양의 병기 설정에도 도움을 준다. 이 종설에서는 영상의학과 의사들이 알아야 할 자궁체부에서 볼 수 있는 다양한 양성과 악성 종양들의 특징적인 자기공명영상 소견들과 이들의 감별점에 대해 정리했다.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

The authors thank Jong-Eun Lee MD for his figure 3 illustration.

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