Variable CT Findings of Epithelial Origin Ovarian Carcinoma According to the Degree of Histologic Differentiation

OBJECTIVE: We wanted to evaluate the CT findings of epithelial origin ovarian carcinoma according to the degree of histologic differentiation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study enrolled 124 patients with 31 well differentiated, 44 moderately differentiated and 95 poorly differentiated carcinomas with epithelial origin. The CT images were retrospectively evaluated with regard to bilateral ovarian involvement, the tumor's nature, lymphadenopathy, adjacent organ invasion, peritoneal tumor seeding, a large amount of ascites and distant metastasis. In cystic, predominantly cystic and mixed tumors, the tumor wall, septa, papillary projection and necrosis in the solid portion were assessed. RESULTS: Bilateral ovarian involvement was more common in the poorly (48%) and moderately (42%) differentiated carcinomas than in the well differentiated carcinomas (7%) (p < 0.05). The frequency of a predominantly solid or solid nature was greater in the moderately and poorly differentiated carcinomas than in the well differentiated carcinomas (p < 0.0001). In the 87 tumors with a cystic, predominantly cystic or mixed nature, septa greater than 3 mm, papillary projection and necrosis in the solid portion were more common in the poorly differentiated carcinoma (91%, 91% and 77%, respectively) than in the moderately (64%, 68% and 34%, respectively) and well differentiated carcinomas (63%, 47% and 27%, respectively) (p < 0.05). Lymphadenopathy, organ invasion, tumor seeding and a large amount of ascites were more common in the poorly differentiated carcinomas (38%, 27%, 73% and 69%, respectively) than in the moderately (13%, 10%, 48% and 45%, respectively) and well differentiated carcinomas (3%, 0%, 10% and 17%, respectively) (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Epithelial origin ovarian carcinoma shows different CT findings according to the degree of histologic differentiation.