Pretreatment diagnostic evaluation of cervical cancer

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has evolved into an integral component of the pretherapeutic local staging of cervical cancer. Many recent studies have demonstrated the superiority of MRI for this indication. It is the method of choice for therapeutic decision making and planning, monitoring of the response to radiotherapy, excluding of tumor recurrence, and assessing of patients for tumor or therapy-related complications. The superiority of MRI is mainly due to its high soft-tissue contrast that allows depiction of the abdominal and pelvic organs with excellent image quality. This article provides an overview of the diagnostic potential and limitations of MRI in the primary staging of cervical cancer and supplementary imaging modalities - CT, PET, and PET/CT - on the basis of the current scientific literature. Also included is a discussion of state-of-the-art lymph node staging and the limitations of imaging in lymph node assessment. (orig.)