The status of ultrasound and color Doppler imaging for the early detection of ovarian carcinoma

Noninvasive imaging techniques such as ultrasound and color doppler imaging have been evaluated during the last decde for their ability to detect organ-confined curable ovarian cancer. While sensitivities approaching 100% can be achieved by these techniques, their specificities and the frequent invasive procedures required to confirm the abnormal sonographic findings have led to caution regarding the widespread use of ultrasound screening for ovarian cancer. These data are reviewed, as well as the NIH Consensus Panel on ovarian cancer's recommendation that routine screening for ovarian carcinoma should not be carried out at this time. Hereditary ovarian cancer syndromes account for approximately 5-10% of the cases. Many of the genes responsible for these syndromes have recently been elucidated. Due to the significant increase in the risk of ovarian cancer in these families, many screening studies have focused on this patient population. Findings from these trials, as well as studies on the psychological impact of screening are presented.