Abstract
Objective To evaluate the role of Shear wave elastography in
characterizing adnexal masses. Design A prospective study.
Setting Tertiary care hospital and research institute in India.
Population Patients aged >12 years with an adnexal
mass. Methods 95 adnexal masses in 85 patients were included in
the analysis. The mean, minimum, and maximum elasticity values of the
solid component of the mass and the ratio of the mean elasticity of the
mass and myometrium were compared between benign and malignant adnexal
masses and in different subgroups. In 91masses, histopathology was the
gold standard, while in four of the masses, magnetic resonance imaging
(MRI) was the gold standard. Main outcome measures Shear wave
elastography parameters. Results No statistically significant
difference was observed in the elasticity parameters between benign and
malignant adnexal masses. In the analysis of subgroups, a statistically
significant difference was observed in the mean and maximum elasticity
values between benign non-neoplastic masses and neoplastic masses (p =
0.047). The rest of the subgroups had no statistically significant
difference in the elasticity parameters. Conclusion Shear wave
elastography did not contribute significantly to the characterization of
adnexal masses.