title: Prediction of nodal metastasis in head and neck cancer using a 3T MRI ADC map.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The detection of cervical nodal metastases is important for the prognosis and treatment of head and neck tumors. The purpose of this study was to assess the ability of ADC values at 3T to distinguish malignant from benign lymph nodes.
  
  
  METHODS
  From July 2009 to June 2010, twenty-two patients (21 men and 1 woman; mean age, 49.8±9.5 years; age range, 28-66 years) scheduled for surgical treatment of biopsy-proved head and neck cancer were prospectively and consecutively enrolled in this study. All patients were scanned on a 3T imaging unit (Verio) by using a 12-channel head coil combined with a 4-channel neck coil. Histologic findings were the reference standard for the diagnosis of lymph node metastasis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The ADC values derived from the signal intensity averaged across images obtained with b-values of 0 and 800 s/mm2 were 1.086±0.222×10(-3) mm2/s for benign lymph nodes and 0.705±0.118×10(-3) mm2/s for malignant lymph nodes (P<.0001). When an ADC value of 0.851×10(-3) mm2/s was used as a threshold value for differentiating benign from malignant lymph nodes, the best results were obtained with an accuracy of 91.0%, sensitivity of 91.3%, and specificity of 91.1%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The ADC value is a sensitive and specific parameter that can help to differentiate malignant from benign lymph nodes.
authors.affiliation: Biomedical Engineering and Environmental Sciences Department, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan.
authors.forename: M-C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: H-Y
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: K-S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Chuang
authors.forename: C-K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: M-K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012372:ROC Curve; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity