PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine the usefulness, with respect to depth of invasion, ofendovaginal surface coil (EVC) MR imaging for the evaluation of early-stage cervical cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the MR images of 49 patients with pathologically-confirmed stage one cervicalcarcinoma who underwent EVC MR before hysterectomy. The tumor seen on MR images was identified as a high signalintensity lesion replacine the normal low signal intensity cervical stroma seen on T2WI. Depth of invasion, asseen on MR images and in pathologic specimens was divided into< or = 3mm, >3-< or = 5mm, and >5mm, and the results werecompared. RESULTS: Depth of invasion in pathologic specimens was < or = 3mm in 15 patients, 3-5mm in nine and >5mm in25 patients(mean 6.34mm). On MR imaging, tumor was detected in 42 patients. Depth of invasion on MR was < or = 3mm in11 patients, 3-5mm in six, and >5mm in 25 patients (mean 6.59mm). MR failed to detect tumors which infiltratedless than a certain depth;this cut-off point was 1mm in two patients, 2mm in two, and 3.5mm in one. All tumorswhich invaded more than 5mm were detected on EVC MR. There was no significant difference between depth of invasion seen on MR and in pathologic specimens(p=.59). The 95% confidence interval for difference in the value ofdepth of invasion between MR and on pathologic specimens ranged from -0.7mm to 1.2mm. CONCLUSION: EVC MR imagingmay be useful for assessing the depth of invasion of stage one cervical carcinoma.