Title: Ovarian masses-applicable IOTA ADNEX model versus morphological findings for accurate diagnosis and treatment

Abstract

A common problem in gynecological practice is the differential diagnosis of the ovarian masses. The clinician must apply the IOTA (International Ovarian Tumor Analysis) ADNEX (Assessment of Different Neoplasia in the Adnexa) model criteria to evaluate the risk of benign, borderline or malignant tumors. The aim of this study was to verify if the IOTA ADNEX model is a practical tool to be used before surgery and if there is a significant difference between IOTA ADNEX criteria and histological findings. A prospective single center study was performed between January 2017 and December 2019 in Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital “Cuza-Voda”, Iasi, Romania. The study included 230 patients between 17 and 74 years old diagnosed with persistent adnexal masses. We applied the IOTA ADNEX model protocol predicting the risk of benign, borderline or malignant masses. The golden standard remains the histological diagnosis of the surgically removed mass. The patients that had been diagnosed using ultrasonography with persistent adnexal masses between 30 and 291 mm were operated on in our clinic. In our study the majority of patients had benign ovarian tumor mass, these being 223 (96.96%) patients, from whom, according to IOTA ADNEX protocol, the correspondence was: 91.8–99.7% at risk of benign tumors, 0.3–4.5% at risk of borderline tumors and 0.3–8.2% at risk of malignant masses. Unexpected findings were obtained from the malignant group that included five patients (2.17%) with the following correspondence: 96.1–99% at risk of benign tumors, 0.6–2.4% at risk of borderline tumors and 1–3.9% at risk of malignant masses. After applying the IOTA ADNEX model criteria, the patients with a suspicion of malignant disease were correctly guided towards surgical treatment in an oncological center. In our hospital, surgical treatment was only proposed to those patients with high suspicion of benign masses.