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Gynaecological Neoplasia

  • Chapter
Imaging of Gynecological Disorders in Infants and Children

Part of the book series: Medical Radiology ((Med Radiol Diagn Imaging))

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Abstract

Gynaecological neoplasms in childhood are not common and malignancies are rare. Whilst the age standardised rate for all cancers in UK girls (0–14 years) is 127 per million, the rate of malignant germ cell tumours (GCTs) is only 2 per million. The commonest paediatric gynaecological tumours are GCTs of the ovary and rhabdomyosarcoma of the uterus, vagina and cervix. Ovarian tumours in childhood are more commonly benign than malignant. Between 1991 and 2000, the United Kingdom National Registry of Childhood Tumours recorded 126 ovarian tumours and 37 arising in the rest of the female reproductive tract amongst girls aged 0–14. Of the ovarian tumours, there were 112(89%) GCTs, 6(5%) carcinomas, 6(5%) lymphomas, 1(1%) neuroblastoma and 1(1%) mesothelioma. Amongst the non-ovarian reproductive tract tumours, there were 19(51%) rhabdomyosarcomas, 12(32%) GCTs, 5(14%) carcinomas and 1(3%) other sarcoma. Tumours usually associated with adults, such as squamous cell carcinomas of the cervix, are also rarely seen in adolescent patients. Imaging is useful before surgery in determining tumour origin, characteristics, extent, local invasion and distant spread. Ultrasound is the first line imaging modality for any newly diagnosed or suspected pelvic mass lesion, followed ideally when necessary by MRI. MRI avoids the radiation associated with CT scanning, gives excellent tissue contrast, and should be the next line of investigation when a mass is discovered.

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Abbreviations

GCT:

Germ cell tumour

CCG:

Children’s cancer study group

ADC:

Apparent diffusion coefficient

PET/CT:

Positron emission tomography—computed tomography

STIR:

Short-tau inversion recovery

EST:

Endodermal sinus tumour

AFP:

Alpha fetoprotein

POG:

Pediatric oncology group

RMS:

Rhabdomyosarcoma

MOO:

Massive ovarian oedema

TNM:

Tumor-node-metastasis

IRS:

Intergroup rhabdomyosarcoma study

IVC:

Inferior vena cava

T1W:

T1-weighted

T2W:

T2-weighted

CT:

Computed tomography

MRI:

Magnetic resonance imaging

UK:

United Kingdom

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, London, WC1N 3JH, UK

    Kieran McHugh

  2. Barts and The London NHS Trust, West Smithfield, London, EC1A 7BE, UK

    Kirsteen McDonald

  3. Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA

    Edwin Jesudason

  4. Alder Hey Children’s Hospital and University of Liverpool, Eaton Road, Liverpool, L12 2AP, UK

    Edwin Jesudason

Authors
  1. Kieran McHugh
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  2. Kirsteen McDonald
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  3. Edwin Jesudason
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kieran McHugh .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. Paediatric Radiology, Alder Hey Children's Hospital, Eaton Road, Liverpool, L12 2AP, United Kingdom

    Gurdeep S. Mann

  2. Royal Liverpool Children's NHS Trust, Eaton Road, Liverpool, L12 2AP, United Kingdom

    Joanne C. Blair

  3. Dept. Paediatric Radiology, Alder Hey Children's Hospital, Eaton Road, Liverpool, L12 2AP, United Kingdom

    Anne S. Garden

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© 2010 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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McHugh, K., McDonald, K., Jesudason, E. (2010). Gynaecological Neoplasia. In: Mann, G., Blair, J., Garden, A. (eds) Imaging of Gynecological Disorders in Infants and Children. Medical Radiology(). Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/174_2010_126

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/174_2010_126

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-85601-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-85602-3

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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