title: Pathways involved in the spread of buccal carcinoma on contrast-enhanced multislice CT.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore how buccal carcinoma spread, using contrast-enhanced multislice CT (CEMSCT).
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively analysed the extent of lesions in 56 patients with primary buccal squamous cell carcinoma (SCCA). Abnormal manifestations on CEMSCT at oral subsites and involved adjacent structures were documented and evaluated, which were compared with the results of surgery and histopathology.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Infiltration and spread to oral subsites and/or adjacent structures was confirmed in 33 patients (58.9%). The opening of the Stensen duct was the most commonly invaded oral subsite (72.7%); other sites included the gingivobuccal sulcus (60.6%), pterygomandibular raphe (54.5%), gingiva (24.2%), retromolar trigone (24.2%), orbicularis oris (18.2%) and the floor of mouth (15.2%). Of the involved adjacent structures, the buccal space was the most common site of spread (69.7%), followed by the masticatory muscles and spaces (57.6%), bone (54.5%), skin and subcutaneous fat (39.4%), pharynx (30.3%), investing fascia (15.2%) and the base of the skull (6.1%). CEMSCT manifestations of the involvement in buccal SCCAs had correlations with pathological findings (p < 0.05). The sensitivities, specificities and accuracies of two radiologists' evaluation on buccal carcinoma involvement were 50.00%, 23.21% and 73.21%; and 51.79%, 32.14% and 83.93%, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Buccal SCCAs could superficially and deeply spread to multiple oral subsites and/or adjacent structures. CEMSCT could delineate their spread pathways and extents.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
authors.forename: S-S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sheng
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.forename: S-X
authors.initials: SX
authors.lastname: Zhong
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D002681:China; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media
keywords: contrast-enhanced multislice computed tomography; head and neck neoplasms; neoplasm staging