The utility of multi-detector computed tomography in the diagnosis of malignant pleural effusion in the patients with ovarian cancer

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to retrospectively assess possible clinical predictors of malignant pleural effusion in patients with ovarian cancer.

Materials and methods

This review was performed on 38 ovarian cancer patients that showed pleural effusion in a CT scan and who underwent thoracocentesis before treatment. CT scans were obtained using a 4-channel multi-detector CT scanner. Fisher's exact test was used to determine the probability of malignant pleural effusion as a function of; amount of ascites, lymph node enlargement, amount of pleural effusion, pleural nodules, and pleural thickening.

Results

Sixteen (42.1%) of the 38 patients had malignant pleural effusion and malignant pleural effusion amounts were greater than those with nonmalignant effusion.Pleural nodules were more frequently found in the malignant pleural effusion group (eight 50%] patients) than in the nonmalignant group (zero 0%] patient) (p < 0.001). Supradiaphragmatic lymph node enlargement (with short axis diameter 1 cm or more) was more frequent in malignant group (12 75%] patients) than in the nonmalignant group (two 9.1%] patients) (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

The probability of malignant pleural effusion in patients with ovarian cancer was found to be correlated with the amount of pleural effusion, the presence of pleural nodules, and supradiaphragmatic lymph node enlargement.