Comparison of CT and MR imaging for the detection of extranodal neoplastic spread in metastatic neck nodes.
OBJECTIVE
To compare computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging for the detection of extranodal neoplastic spread (ENS) in metastatic cervical nodes from head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.


METHODS
17 patients with a squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck underwent CT and MR imaging. The neck nodes were assessed for ENS and the results compared using pathology from the surgical resection.


RESULTS
Radiologic-pathologic correlation was performed in 51 malignant nodes. The accuracy, sensitivity and specificity were respectively 73, 65, 93% for CT, and 80, 78, 86% for MR imaging. Comparison of CT and MR imaging showed that there was no significant difference between the two modalities for either sensitivity (P = 0.1317) or specificity (P = 0.3173).


CONCLUSIONS
CT and MR imaging are comparable for the detection of ENS.
King
Ann D
AD
Department of Diagnostic Radiology & Organ Imaging, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Ngan Shing Street, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong SAR, China. b834756@mailserve.cuhk.hk
Tse
Gary M K
GM
Yuen
Edmund H Y
EH
To
Edward W H
EW
Vlantis
Alexander C
AC
Zee
Benny
B
Chan
Amy B W
AB
van Hasselt
Andrew C
AC
Ahuja
Anil T
AT
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001706:Biopsy; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary*; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009333:Neck; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
D003287:Contrast Media