[Diagnosis of malignant tumors of the uterus by transabdominal ultrasonography: a utopia?].

Two hundred non-pregnant women with suspected uterine disease were included in a prospective study designed to assess the accuracy of sonography in conforming or excluding the presence of uterine cancer. All patients were operated on and the preoperative sonographic findings were compared with the final histological diagnosis. The predictive value of sonographic evidence of malignancy was 43.9% (18/41), the predictive value of benign disease was 94.8% (147/155). Sensitivity was 66.7% (18/27) and specificity 85% (147/173). The sonographic detection of uterine cancer is in need of improvement. At present it cannot be used as a substitute of invasive diagnostic tools in patients with suspected uterine cancer.