Objective: To determine the value of computed tomography (CT) in predicting preoperatively nodal disease in patients with endometrial cancer. Design: A prospective multicentric study. Setting: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of the Palacky Univerzity Medical School and Univerzity Hospital, Olomouc, Obstetrical and Gynecological Departments of collaborating hospital, Czech Republic. Methods: A total of 164 women with endometrial carcinoma that was diagnosed between 1998 and 2002 were recruited for this study. Final pathological fi ndings were compared with those of the preoperative CT scans to assess nodal disease. Results: Among 164 women who had preoperative scans and lymph node samplings, sensitivity, specifi city, positive and negative predicting values of CT scans at predicting lymph node metastasis was 30, 95.5, 30 and 95.5% respectively. Conclusion: Routine preoperative CT scanning is a poor predictor of nodal disease in patients with endometrial cancer. Its preoperative routine use should be discouraged.

        Key words: computer tomography scan, endometrial cancer, preoperative staging, nodal disease