ABSTRACT
Introduction: Pelvic congestion syndrome (PCS) is produced by anomalous flow in ovarían veins. Direct venography (DV) is the gold-standard for diagnosis. Phase-Contrast Magnetic Resonance Angiography (PC-MRA) appears as an alternative that would permit a morphological and functional assessment. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the usefulness of flow velocity (measured with PC-MRA) as a diagnostic criterion and also to compare it with the DV technique. Patients and methods: We prospectively included 8 female patients with clinical suspicion of PCS who were referred for undergoing DV over a six-month period. PC-MRA examinations were performed in all of them. Slow anterograde or retrograde flow were the diagnostic criteria. Sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV were also calculated. Results: Data from 16 veins were analized by means of a home-made software written in Matlab. There were 12 abnormal and 4 normal veins according to DV results. All the abnormal veins were correctly identified by MR-PC. Two veins (corresponding to the same patient) were considered as normal in accordance with DV results, whereas the PC-MRA analysis revealed them as abnormal veins. This patient presented with PCS typical symptoms. Sensitivity and specificity values were 100 and 50 percent, respectively, whereas PPV and NPV values were 86 and 100 percent, respectively. Conclusion: PC-MRA is a useful diagnostic tool for patients with clinical suspicion of PCS and could avoid unnecessary invasive procedures.
Introducción: El síndrome de congestión pelviana (SCP) es producido por flujo anómalo en las venas ováricas. La venografía directa (VD) es el estándar de referencia. La resonancia magnética con contraste de fase (MR-CF) permitiría una evaluación morfológica y funcional. El propósito fue evaluar la utilidad de la velocidad de flujo medida con RM-CF como criterio diagnóstico comparado con VD. Pacientes y Métodos: Incluimos prospectivamente 8 pacientes derivadas para VD por sospecha de SCP durante 6 meses; todas fueron sometidas a RM-CF. Los criterios diagnósticos fueron: flujo retrógrado o anterógrado lento. Se calculó sensibilidad, especificidad, VPP y VPN. Resultados: Analizamos los datos de 16 venas, utilizando un software propietario escrito en Matlab. Hubo 12 venas anormales y 4 venas normales en VD. Todas la venas anormales fueron correctamente identificadas por MR-PC. Dos venas (la misma paciente) fueron normales en VD y anormales en MR-PC. Esta paciente tenía clásicos síntomas de SCP La sensibilidad fue de 100 por ciento, especifidad de 50 por ciento, VPP de 86 por ciento y VPN de 100 por ciento Discusión: MR-PC es una herramienta útil en el diagnóstico del SCP y evitaría exámenes invasivos innecesarios.