Laryngeal carcinoma after radiation therapy: correlation of abnormal MR imaging signal patterns in laryngeal cartilage with the risk of recurrence.
OBJECTIVE
To correlate abnormal magnetic resonance (MR) imaging signal patterns in cartilage with the effectiveness of radiation treatment.


METHODS
Eighty previously untreated patients underwent MR imaging and radiation therapy with a curative intent. Cartilage was considered to have an abnormal signal pattern if it had intermediate signal intensity on T1-weighted spin-echo (SE) MR images and high signal intensity on T2-weighted SE MR images. The minimum follow-up was 2 years.


RESULTS
Abnormal MR imaging signal patterns of the thyroid cartilage (P < .001; P < .04) were more ominous than those of other cartilage. Abnormal signal patterns in cartilage of patients with small tumors (< 5 cm3 and especially < 1 cm3) were less significant. Abnormal signal patterns in cartilage combined with a large tumor (> 5 cm3) worsened the prognosis significantly (P < .05).


CONCLUSIONS
Abnormal MR imaging signal patterns in cartilage may not indicate a poor prognosis in every case. Abnormal signal intensity in the thyroid cartilage combined with a tumor volume of > 5 cm3, however, appears to indicate an adverse prognosis with regard to tumor recurrence.
Department of Radiology, Vrije Universiteit Hospital, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
J A
JA
Castelijns
M W
MW
van den Brekel
H
H
Tobi
E M
EM
Smit
R P
RP
Golding
C
C
van Schaik
G B
GB
Snow
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007817:Laryngeal Cartilages / Q000473:pathology*; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors