Attenuation and contrast enhancement of gynecologic organs and tumors in CT.

CT scans were obtained of 11 normal women and 34 women with gynecologic tumors. Twenty-three of 26 women with known malignant tumors had abnormal CT scans while all control patients had normal. The tumor extent demonstrated by CT correlated with either pathologic or surgical staging in 78%. Contrast enhancement increased the diagnostic yield and accuracy of staging. Attenuation values of the normal uterus and uterine tumors are quite similar prior to contrast medium. After administration of contrast agent the normal myometrium attenuation values increase more than other pelvic tissues. Uterine tumors show substantially less enhancement and show a greater variation of density throughout the tumor than normal myometrium. Density readings are not predictive of histologic type or tumor grade. Tumor was best detected and its extent best seen after high doses of intravenous contrast medium infusion, which should be considered a routine part of the diagnostic evaluation of these patients.