Pre- and post-operative work-up in patients affected by early cervical cancer and eligible for fertility-sparing treatment: role of MRI with saline hydrocolpos.

Nowadays young women affected by early invasive uterine cervical cancer (stage IA2-IB1) may be offered a fertility-sparing treatment: the radical trachelectomy with pelvic lymph node dissection. This procedure consists in surgical removal of cervix uteri, proximal parametrial tissue, and vaginal cuff. The morphology and the functions of corpus uteri are preserved. Women candidates for trachelectomy must be closely selected. Gynecologist oncologist needs an imaging modality that can accurately value the tumoral diameter and which can demonstrate proximal extension of tumor to ensure surgical clear resection margins (especially the cranial one). Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a very useful examination in pre-operative study of women affected by early cervical cancer. The aim of this study is to evaluate the role of MRI with hydrocolpos about pre- and postoperative work-up in women eligible for fertility-sparing treatment. © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2009.