Diagnostic Performance of Magnetic Resonance Sequences in Staging Lymph Node Involvement and Extranodal Extension in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Diagnostic Performance of Magnetic Resonance Sequences in Staging Lymph Node Involvement and Extranodal Extension in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

<b>Objectives:</b> This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic performance of various MRI sequences in detecting nodal metastasis (N+) and extranodal extension (ENE+) in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). <b>Methods</b>: A retrospective analysis was...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Giovanni Lorusso, Nicola Maggialetti, Francesca Laugello, Annalisa Garofalo, Ilaria Villanova, Sara Greco, Chiara Morelli, Pasquale Pignataro, Nicola Maria Lucarelli, Amato Antonio Stabile Ianora
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-05-01
Series:Diagnostics
Subjects:
HNSCC
extranodal extension
lymph nodes
magnetic resonance imaging
magnetic resonance sequences
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4418/15/10/1251
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:<b>Objectives:</b> This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic performance of various MRI sequences in detecting nodal metastasis (N+) and extranodal extension (ENE+) in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). <b>Methods</b>: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 42 patients with HNSCC who underwent preoperative MRI and subsequent surgical lymph node dissection between June 2021 and December 2023. Lymph node MRI features were evaluated on five different MRI sequences. For each rN+ case, the presence of radiological extranodal extension (rENE+) was assessed independently in every MRI sequence by analyzing three characteristics. ENE was deemed positive if at least one of three criteria considered was present. <b>Results</b>: All of the MRI sequences demonstrated slightly high accuracy (~76%) for detecting N+, with T1WI, STIR, and CE THRIVE showing comparable sensitivities (60–65%). The STIR sequence exhibited the highest sensitivity (75%) and nearly the highest accuracy (91%) for detecting ENE+. Capsular irregularity and necrosis showed high specificity across sequences, while the loss of fatty hilum and nodal size had lower performance. <b>Conclusions</b>: Tailoring MRI protocols to leverage the strengths of specific sequences can significantly improve the diagnostic accuracy, aiding in better patient management and treatment outcomes.
ISSN:2075-4418

Similar Items