Role of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in evaluation of the extension of endometrial carcinoma

The extent of endometrial carcinoma in Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) was compared with that of histopathological findings. There was a significant positive correlation between the MRI values and the measured tissue specimen values for the minimum thickness of the residual myometrium (r = 0.8608; p less than 0.001). Twenty patients in the present study were divided into two groups according to myometrial invasion. Six patients (Group A) met the following criteria: (1) the area occupied by a high intensity lesion in the uterine body in the sagittal image is 50% or less, (2) the area occupied by a high intensity lesion in the uterine body in the transverse image is 50% or less, (3) the minimum thickness of the myometrium is 0.5 cm or more, and (4) the maximum-minimum ratio of myometrial thickness is 0.5 or more. Fourteen patients (Group B) did not meet these conditions. Myometrial invasion of carcinoma exceeding 1/3 of the myometrial thickness was not observed in any patient in Group A. A significantly greater percentage (86%) of Group B patients had myometrial invasion. Vessel permeation of carcinoma and metastasis was detected in 5 and 2 patients in Group B, respectively, but no patient in Group A had either vessel permeation or metastasis. A junctional zone was seen in 10 of 20 patients, and the carcinomatous lesions were limited to the endometrium in 2 patients, in which the junctional zone was not disrupted. In the other 8 patients, the localization of disruption of this zone corresponded to that of myometrial invasion. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of MRI evaluation in the presence or absence of cervical involvement were 0.71, 0.92 and 0.85, respectively.     

Incidence and diagnosis of unilateral arterial cerebral infarction in newborn infants

AIMS: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is accepted as the gold standard for the diagnosis of arterial cerebral infarction (ACI), but few studies have reported the incidence of neonatal ACI based on MRI findings. We provide new population-based epidemiologic and diagnostic data on all infants diagnosed between 1997 and 2002 in our center with an MRI-confirmed diagnosis of unilateral neonatal ACI. RESULTS: Nine patients were identified, giving an incidence of 1:2300 unilateral ACIs in our inborn population. In all patients the middle cerebral artery was affected. Seven patients showed epileptic seizures, usually starting within the first 3 days of life. EEG was pathologic in all patients. Only three infarctions were diagnosed by ultrasound. Initial MRI established diagnosis of ACI in eight out of nine patients and subsequent MRI described the exact location of infarctions in all patients. Six out of nine patients developed hemiparesis and five had deficits in language development. There is a substantial need for special care facilities and long-term therapeutic interventions. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of neonatal ACI is higher than previously reported. The sensitivity of early cerebral ultrasound for diagnosis of ACI is low. Seizures in the first 3 days of life combined with pathologic EEG findings should lead to MRI, regardless of normal cerebral ultrasound.     

Intraoperative localization of sensorimotor cortex by cortical somatosensory evoked potentials.

Intraoperative cortical somatosensory potentials were evoked to localize the sensorimotor cortex under general anesthesia by contralateral median nerve stimulation in 12 patients. Eight patients underwent an excision of the epileptogenic focus for intractable complex partial seizures and the other 4 patients underwent tumor surgery following successful localization of the sensorimotor cortex. The relationships between the somatosensory evoked potentials and the anatomy of the sensorimotor cortex allowed rapid and accurate localization of the sensorimotor hand area: (1) the P2 recorded from the postcentral gyrus had a positivity of 49.0 microV on the average with a mean latency of 26.9 msec; (2) the N1 and P2 consistently showed phase-reversal across the Rolandic fissure; and (3) maximum SEP amplitudes were recorded from the hand representation area of the sensorimotor cortex. The neurophysiological and neurosurgical results demonstrate the feasibility of recording cortical SEP's under general anesthesia and the improvement of safety in surgical excisions near the sensorimotor cortex.     

99m-Tc-tetrofosmin scintigraphy and breast cancer

BACKGROUND: 99m-Tc-tetrofosmin holds significant interest among medical oncologists because of its high positive predictive value (>90%) in pilot trials, exceeding sensitivity and specificity rates of mammography. Objective. Our objective was to assess the diagnostic accuracy of 99m-Tc-tetrofosmin whole-body scintigraphy in outpatients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Thirty-one patients with an abnormal mammograph (n = 22) or follow-up patients (n = 9), 7 of whom were known to have metastatic disease, were included. Tracer (550 MBq) was injected into the cubital vein. Whole-body planar and single photon emission computed tomography images of regions of interest were obtained. Histology, computed tomography (CT), or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were performed to confirm scintigraphic results. Correlation between scintigraphy and CT or MRI was assessed by two independent radiologists. Accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity rates for the diagnosis of local and distant breast cancer lesions were given. RESULTS: Of the 22 first-visit patients, 15 had breast cancer, and 7 had no evidence of any malignant disease. Of all patients examined (n = 31), 21 had distant metastases. Breast tumors were correctly diagnosed in 14/15 patients (93%), with only 1 false-negative result. Extrahepatic metastatic lesions (n = 16) were correctly diagnosed in 14 (88%) patients, whereas the method was not suitable for the diagnosis of liver metastases. CONCLUSION: Tetrofosmin scintigraphy has shown very high detection rates of breast tumors and of metastatic lesions and is therefore a valuable option in breast cancer diagnosis.     

Comparison of magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasonography in the prenatal diagnosis of congenital thoracic abnormalities

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate prenatal MRI in the diagnosis of fetal thoracic abnormalities and to determine whether MRI provides useful information in addition to that of ultrasonography (US). METHODS: Ultrafast MR scanning was performed in 7 pregnant women in whom US was suspicious of fetal congenital anomalies of the thorax [3 cases of congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH), 3 cases of chylothorax and 1 case of congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation (CCAM) type III]. The presence, position, size and characteristics of the congenital lesions were determined and compared with postnatal diagnoses. RESULTS: The MRI diagnoses were 3 cases of CDH, 2 of chylothorax and one each of esophageal atresia and CCAM type III. The results of MRI were in agreement with those of US in 6 cases and in disagreement in 1 case of esophageal atresia. Final diagnoses were confirmed at surgery or autopsy in all fetuses. Combined use of MR and US imaging enabled a correct diagnosis in 5 cases and led to an error in the diagnosis of 1 fetus with bronchial stenosis, which had been diagnosed as CCAM type III by US and MRI. MRI led to a correct diagnosis in 1 fetus with esophageal atresia, in whom US had been equivocal in the prenatal diagnosis. CONCLUSION: MRI helped further characterize the fetal thoracic lesions and confirmed or changed the prenatal diagnosis based on US. MRI seems to be powerful in the prenatal diagnosis of thoracic lesions that are atypical or complicated by multiple abnormalities.     

Negative MRI findings with invasive cervical biopsy may indicate stage IA cervical carcinoma

OBJECTIVE: We attempted to prospectively determine the role of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in very early cervical cancer. STUDY DESIGN: T2-weighted and T1-dynamic enhanced images from patients with invasive or noninvasive lesions of the cervix were reviewed by two radiologists who had no clinical information on these patients. At least 12 longitudinal sections prepared from the surgically removed cervix were reviewed by a pathologist. The correlation between MRI and histological findings was analyzed in terms of depth of invasion. RESULTS: Seventy-nine cases were entered into the study and 75 were evaluable. Accuracy of T2 MR images for invasive and noninvasive disease by Radiologist 1 and Radiologist 2 was 0.8533 and 0.7733, respectively. Accuracy was greater (0.9867 and 0.9467, respectively) for the detection of noninvasive plus microinvasive lesions 5 mm. Dynamic technique provided only limited additional value in the detection of microinvasive cervical carcinoma. CONCLUSION: Simple T2 MRI is useful in differentiating noninvasive or microinvasive cervical lesions from invasive cervical carcinoma of the cervix >5 mm.     

Ovarian masses in young adolescents: imaging findings with surgical confirmation

Functional cysts and benign neoplasms are the most common ovarian masses among young adolescents. Ovarian cancer on the other hand, although rare in this age group, is the most common genital tract malignancy. The purpose of this study was to define imaging characteristics of ovarian masses in adolescents between 12 and 21 years old and correlate imaging and surgical findings. Thirty-seven female adolescent patients aged between 12 and 21 years were operated on because of a diagnosed ovarian mass between 1997 and 2002. All patients underwent pelvic ultrasound, five had an abdominal CT scan, two had abdominal MRI, one abdominal X-ray and one intravenous pyelography. Ultrasound was used to define the size of the lesion and to characterize its gross morphologic condition as solid, simple cyst or complex cyst. The records were reviewed for age at presentation, presenting symptoms, diagnostic studies, surgical procedure and pathology findings, which were available for all patients. In our study 32 patients (86.5%) were symptomatic and five asymptomatic (13.5%). The most common presenting symptom was abdominal pain (59.5%). Thirty-four patients (91.1%) had benign lesions, two had malignant tumors (5.4%) and one patient had a borderline lesion (2.7%). The most common ovarian masses detected were germ cell tumors (27.5%) and functional cysts (25%). Twenty patients (54%) underwent operative laparoscopy and 17 patients (46%) exploratory laparotomy. Simple resection of the ovarian mass was achieved in the majority of cases (84%). Bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy was performed in only one case (2.7%).     

Validity of positron emission tomography using fluoro-2-deoxyglucose for the preoperative evaluation of endometrial cancer

To clarify the validity of positron emission tomography using fluoro-2-deoxyglucose (FDG-PET) for the preoperative evaluation of endometrial cancer, we analyzed the preoperative FDG-PET images of both primary and metastatic lesions of 30 patients with endometrial cancer, and compared them with computed tomography (CT) and/or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) images and the results of postoperative pathologic findings. As to the primary lesions, FDG-PET could easily identify the cancer, and the sensitivity was 96.7%, which tended to be higher than that of 83.3% by CT/MRI. As to the evaluation of retroperitoneal lymph node metastasis, FDG-PET could detect none of five cases of lymph node metastatic lesions of up to 0.6 cm in diameter but had higher specificity (100%) compared with CT/MRI (85.7%). The sensitivity of FDG-PET for detection of extrauterine lesions excluding retroperitoneal lymph nodes was 83.3% and was superior to that of CT/MRI (66.7%), although there was no difference in the specificity between the modalities (100%). The diagnostic ability of FDG-PET was limited if used alone, but FDG-PET gave additional information especially with regard to the extrauterine lesions whose significance could not be determined on CT/MRI. However, we also found that FDG-PET could not identify any lymph node metastasis less than 1 cm in diameter; therefore, a negative finding of lymph node metastasis on FDG-PET should not be interpreted as a reason for omitting retroperitoneal lymph node dissection for the precise surgical staging of endometrial cancer.     

Pre-wallerian degeneration in the neonatal brain following perinatal cerebral hypoxia-ischemia demonstrated with MRI

AIM: Pre-Wallerian degeneration was studied in term and near-term neonates with hypoxic-ischemic brain injury, and related to neurodevelopmental outcome. SUBJECTS: Thirty-nine surviving patients with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy or seizures and MRI-documented brain abnormalities were included. Patients were grouped according to the MRI findings: group 1 (n = 23), ischemic stroke or watershed infarcts; group 2 (n = 8), lesions of the basal ganglia; group 3 (n = 8), predominantly white matter lesions. METHODS: Cranial MRI, including diffusion-weighted MRI, was performed between 1 and 10 days after birth. ADC maps were created, and presence or absence of pre-Wallerian degeneration in the cerebral peduncles was assessed. RESULTS: Of the 15 neonates with pre-Wallerian degeneration, 14 had permanent abnormalities of motor development, whereas 1 had a transient asymmetry. Six neonates with a poor outcome had no pre-Wallerian degeneration, which may be contributed to the timing of the MRI in 2. Eighteen neonates had no pre-Wallerian degeneration and a normal motor development. CONCLUSION: Pre-Wallerian degeneration of the cerebral peduncles in neonates with hypoxia-ischemia is almost invariably associated with a poor motor development. In neonates with abnormalities of the basal ganglia or white matter and a poor outcome, pre-Wallerian degeneration is less common than in neonates with stroke or watershed infarcts and a poor motor outcome.     

Magnetic Resonance Female Breast Imaging (MRFBI) - Evaluation of the Changes in Signal Intensity over Time Pre- and Post-administration of 0.2 mmol/kg Gd-DTPA

PURPOSE: We are looking for a threshold value to discriminate between benign and malign breast lesions in MRI of female breast after administration of 0.2 mmol Gadolinum-DTPA/kg bw.MATERIALS AND METHODS: Double coil breast MRI (1.5 Tesla) were performed in 65 patients with an suspicious lesion for malignancy in an anteriorly examination. 57 patients could be evaluated in our study design. Histopathological 35 patients had an invasive carcinoma, 3 patients had an in-situ-carcinoma and in 27 patients benign changes were found.RESULTS: For different carcinoma diameters we found a different increase of signal intensity (SI): small carcinoma (< 10 mm) had an maximum increase of SI of 102 %, medium sized (10 to 20 mm) 222 % and carcinomas over 20 mm showed an increase of 271 %. We did not find a significant difference between SI in benign and malign lesions. The sensitivity was 94.6 % the specificity 65 %.CONCLUSION: A threshold value to distinguish between malign and benign in MRI could not be defined. With the double normal Gd-DTPA dose we do not have better specificity and sensitivity than for normal dose (0.1 mmol/kg bw) is described.     

Observations on the surface area of the abnormal transformation zone associated with intraepithelial and early invasive squamous cell lesions of the cervix

The apparent area of the abnormal transformation zone (TZ) of the cervix was measured in a total of 104 patients by a simple method with the use of the 1 and 5 mm. diameter circle in the center of the field of the Leisegang colposcope and the field of the colposcope itself. The visible area (mean +/- S.E.M.) of the abnormal TZ for five patients with microinvasive or occult carcinoma of the cervix (180.8 mm.2 +/- 62.2) was significantly larger (p less than 0.01) than that of 64 patients with major intraepithelial lesions (62.5 sq. mm.2 +/- 7.3) and 35 patients with minor intraepithelial lesions (45.8 sq. mm.2 +/- 11.7). The visible area of the abnormal TZ measured over 40 mm.2 in each of the five patients with invasive lesions but in only 42 of 99 (42%) patients with intraepithelial lesions. The TZ extended into the endocervical canal and could not be fully visualized in four (80%) of the patients with invasive lesions, 24 (38%) of patients with major intraepithelial lesions, and 11 (31%) of patients with minor intraepithelial lesions. The implications of these findings are discussed.     

Comparison of magnetic resonance imaging and transvaginal ultrasonography in diagnosing bladder endometriosis

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To take recent progress in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) into account to determine its accuracy compared with that of transvaginal ultrasonography (TVUS) in diagnosing bladder endometriosis. DESIGN: Retrospective analysis (Canadian Task Force classification II-2). SETTING: University-affiliated hospital. PATIENTS: Twelve women with histologically proved bladder endometriosis. INTERVENTION: Magnetic resonance imaging with body and endocavitary coils and TVUS. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Although TVUS was normal in four patients, MRI enabled endometriotic lesions to be detected in all patients. Magnetic resonance imaging with endocavitary coil established the existence of deep infiltration in three patients when muscularis involvement was not visible with the body coil. In seven women MRI determined how far deep posterior endometriotic lesions extended, whereas with TVUS this was impossible to see. Conclusion. MRI had advantages over TVUS in diagnosing small lesions of associated posterior deep endometriotic lesions. The endocavitary coil gave better results than the phased-array coil for diagnosing deep infiltration. These results are important in that they help guide surgical management.     

Prenatal screening for anticardiolipin antibody

Anticardiolipin antibodies, immunoglobulin G, and M (IgG, IgM) have been associated with recurrent abortion and with maternal death. This study tested whether anticardiolipin titers would be a useful prenatal screening test to determine high-risk pregnancies. Titers were obtained at the first clinic visit in 686 patients, mean gestation, 20 weeks. The outcome variables were taken from a medical records computer data base. IgG anticardiolipin correlated inversely with birthweight (p less than 0.025), but not with gestation. IgM anticardiolipin correlated strongly with the inverse of patient age (p less than 0.0002) and with chronic hypertension (p less than 0.01), but not with preeclampsia. There was a weak correlation with the 1-minute Apgar score (p less than 0.05). Thirty-seven patients had titers of IgG or IgM greater than 3 standard deviations above the mean for nonpregnant patients. Sixteen of these patients were studied for antinuclear antibody and coagulopathy (prothrombin time, partial thromboplastin time, viper venom time) and all were normal. Six of eight patients tested had low range elevated antibody titers to double-stranded DNA. Ten placentas were examined and showed no infarctions. None of the correlations were of practical clinical utility. The biologic basis of the correlations found is of further interest. The value of anticardiolipin titers with lupus erythematosus, or with coagulopathy, was not tested.     

Lesions of peripheral nerves in obstetrics and gynecology. A review

Peripheral nerves in obstetrics and gynecology are damaged with moderate frequency. Mostly there are iatrogenic lesions, that most often develop during delivery, operations and also in course of smaller invasive procedures. In genitofemoral nerve lesions neuralgic pain in groin and vulva is the most striking symptom, in cutaneous femoris lateralis nerve damage there are unpleasant paresthesias of lateral thigh. In case of femoral or obturator nerve lesion a weakness of thigh muscles with difficulties of standing and walking is the most typical. In pudendal nerve damage the autonomic disturbances (incontinence of feaces and urine) and pain in perineum are in the foreground of the patient's complains. After a knowledgeable history taking and detailed clinical examination the next step of diagnostics are neurophysiological investigations (neurography and needle electomyography). In special cases there is racional to use imaging methods (ultrasonography, MRI, CT). In majority of these iatrogennic nerve lesions the conservative approach is successful (rehabilitation, medicaments against neuropathic pain) and only in a small proportion of patients the neurosurgeon consultation is necessary.     

Diagnostic accuracy of laparoscopy,magnetic resonance imaging,and histopathologic examination for the detection of endometriosis

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the utility of fat-suppressed magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the diagnosis of endometriosis. DESIGN: A prospective clinical trial. SETTING: A government research hospital. PATIENT(S): Forty-eight women with pelvic pain. INTERVENTION(S): Magnetic resonance imaging followed by surgical excision and pathologic diagnosis of endometriosis. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Presence and extent of endometriosis suggested by preoperative MRIs compared with surgical inspection and biopsy. RESULT(S): A preoperative MRI in 46 women detected fewer endometriosis lesions than histopathology or laparoscopy (78 vs. 101 vs. 150). Few MRI lesions correlated with those identified by laparoscopy (50 of 150) or pathology (38 of 101). Of 42 women with surgically diagnosed endometriosis, 28 had at least one corresponding abnormality on MRI, 5 had abnormalities that didn't correlate with surgical findings, and 9 had normal MRIs. The sensitivity of MRI in detecting biopsy-proven endometriosis for any woman was 69% (25 of 36), and the specificity was 75%. CONCLUSION(S): Although MRI identifies fewer areas of endometriosis than seen at surgery, it suggested endometriosis in 75% of those with at least mild disease. Only 67% of lesions identified at surgery contained histologic evidence of endometriosis.     

Magnetic resonance imaging of the adrenal gland in women with late-onset adrenal hyperplasia

To determine the presence of structural abnormalities of the adrenal in late-onset adrenal hyperplasia, four consecutive patients were studied by MRI before beginning glucocorticoid replacement therapy. Three women were diagnosed as 21-hydroxylase deficient late-onset adrenal hyperplasia by a 17-OHP level greater than 1,000 ng/dL 30 minutes after acute adrenal stimulation, and one patient was diagnosed as 11-hydroxylase deficient late-onset adrenal hyperplasia when her 11-deoxycortisol level was threefold the upper 95th percentile of normal. Two patients with 21-hydroxylase deficient late-onset adrenal hyperplasia had normal adrenal glands on MRI. Another 21-hydroxylase deficient late-onset adrenal hyperplasia patient was noted to have a 2.5 x 3.3-cm left adrenal nodule, which had been documented some 4 years earlier on CT scan and had not changed in size during that interval. This patient was 40 years of age when the diagnosis of late-onset adrenal hyperplasia was established. The patient with 11-hydroxylase deficient late-onset adrenal hyperplasia demonstrated a diffuse enlargement of the left adrenal gland consistent with hyperplasia, with no focal lesions. In conclusion, although patients with late-onset adrenal hyperplasia may often demonstrate nodular or diffuse adrenocortical hyperplasia on MRI, not all patients with endocrinologically evident disease demonstrate such abnormalities, consistent with a lesser degree of ACTH stimulation compared with women with classical congenital adrenal hyperplasia.     

Surgical treatment of invasive carcinoma of the vulva. Our experience

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical findings, treatment and outcome of patients with vulvar carcinoma in the L'Aquila area. METHODS: Fifteen cases of vulvar carcinoma seen between September 1991 and December 1999 at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of the University of L'Aquila were reviewed. Clinical, pathologic, surgical and follow-up data were collected from patient records. Mean age at diagnosis was 66.4 years. All patients were evaluated through a careful medical history and physical examination, vulvoscopy, abdomino-pelvic CT or MR, urethrocystoscopy, rectocolonscopy and SCC, and CEA determination. Radical surgery included six patients treated by the Taussig-Way operation. Modified radical surgery accounted for nine patients treated by the Byron three-incision approach. RESULTS: The major early complication was groin wound breakdown which occurred in four cases. The major late complication was chronic leg edema which was reported in six patients. The average number of nodes removed per patient was 19.5. Seven patients (46.7%) had a T2N0M0 pathologic stage, four (26.7%) were T2N1M0, four (26.7%) T1N0M0. Five patients died of local and distant recurrences within 37 months after surgical treatment; ten patients are alive, nine are apparently free from disease whereas one presented local and systemic recurrence within 18 months after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Vulvar carcinoma predominantly affects older women. Most patients in our series (11/15) had tumors more than 2 cm in diameter. Although the vulva is an external organ and early detection should be achieved, many patients presented with extensive primary lesions due to both patient and physician delay. Stage of disease, tumor size, and nodal metastases are potential prognostic factors useful in selecting patients for a more conservative surgical approach.     

The indications for transcervical mediastinoscopy in patients with small peripheral bronchial carcinoma.

A series of 80 patients with roentgenographic evidence of bronchial carcinomas 3 centimeters or less in size was analyzed as to the incidence of mediastinal lymph node metastases. Forty patients underwent transcervical mediastinoscopy prior to thoracotomy and 40 patients did not. Three patients with large cell undifferentiated carcinoma had mediastinal lymph node metastases which could be detected by transcervical mediastinoscopy. None of the 40 patients who did not undergo mediastinoscopy had palpable evidence of mediastinal lymph node metastases at thoracotomy. The survival rates for the two groups of patients were similar. On the basis of this study, we have concluded that mediastinal exploration is not routinely indicated in patients with peripheral T1, N1, M0 lesions.     

Compression of the spinal cord or cauda equina complicating gynecological malignancy: reports of five cases and a review of the literature.

Compression of the spinal cord or the cauda equina is an unusual complication of gynecological malignancy. Reports of five cases are presented: Two patients had epidermoid carcinoma of the cervix, one had adenocarcinoma of the endometrium, one had endometrial stromal sarcoma, and one had choriocarcinoma. The details of 30 additional cases collected from the literature are analyzed with regard to primary malignancy, symptoms, level of neurological compression, and modalities and results of treatment. Back pain and/or root pain is a serious symptom in any patient with malignant disease and should be investigated by bone scan and X rays. Twelve of eighteen (67%) patients with gynecologic malignancies had back pain and/or root pain prior to the development of motor weakness, and three patients in our series had abnormal bone scans prior to the development of motor weakness. Only 4 of 17 (24%) patients were able to walk and control the bladder and bowel after treatment. The combination of radiotherapy and chemotherapy was curative in a patient with choriocarcinoma which was thought to have metastasized to the spinal cord.     

Comparison of microscopic examination and human papilloma virus dna subtyping in vulvar lesions of premenarchal girls

Background: In premenarchal children the diagnosis of vulvar condyloma is often based on the clinical or microscopic appearance of the lesions. Other techniques for diagnosing condyloma such as DNA subtyping are not always used by providers. The purpose of this study is to compare the microscopic examination and Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) DNA subtyping of vulvar specimens from premenarchal girls to determine whether DNA subtyping aids in the diagnosis process.Methods: Eleven premenarchal girls were taken to the operating room for the treatment of clinically diagnosed condyloma between 1993 and 1999 at the University of Michigan Medical Center. In all patients, tissue was sent for pathologic evaluation and in 10 patients the specimens also underwent DNA subtyping. One patient had prior DNA subtyping. All the other lesions were surgically ablated. Results: The average age of our patients at the time of surgery was 2.3 years, range 1-6 years. Four patients had prior surgical treatment and two patients had undergone prior medical treatment. The microscopic diagnosis was condyloma in 8 patients, squamous papilloma with focal koilocytosis not totally diagnostic for condyloma in 1 patient, chronic inflammatory infiltrate in 1 patient, and 1 patient had papillary squamous hyperplasia with no koilocytosis.All 11 specimens tested positive for HPV DNA, 10 specimens contained at least one of the low risk subtypes (6, 11, 42, 43, 44) and 1 tests positive for low risk as well as high risk HPV type (16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 45, 51, 52, 56).Conclusion: Although all our patients with a clinical diagnosis of condyloma tested positive for HPV DNA, only 8 of 11 were definitely diagnosed with condyloma by microscopic examination. We therefore suggest that in premenarchal patients with verrucous lesions in the anogenital area HPV DNA subtyping be considered to avoid confusion with the diagnosis.