title: Prevertebral space invasion in head and neck cancer: negative predictive value of imaging techniques.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study evaluated the diagnostic value of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) in prevertebral space invasion in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC).
  
  
  METHODS
  This study retrospectively reviewed 197 patients with advanced primary laryngeal or hypopharyngeal carcinoma who underwent laryngectomy and neck dissection at our institution. The MRI and CT findings were compared with the surgical findings and postoperative pathology.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 191 patients, the macro- and microscopic margins of the surgical specimens were tumor-free. In the remaining 6 patients, prevertebral space involvement was observed intraoperatively. MRI predicted the absence of prevertebral fascia invasion in 40 of 42 patients with a negative predictive value of 100% and specificity of 95.2%, while the negative predictive value and specificity of CT were 99.2% and 88.2%, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Preservation of the retropharyngeal fat plane on MRI reliably predicts the absence of prevertebral space fixation in patients with advanced HNSCC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Izmir Katip Celebi University Ataturk Training and Research Hospital, Izmir, Turkey kadir_imre@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Abdulkadir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Imre
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Izmir Katip Celebi University Ataturk Training and Research Hospital, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ercan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pinar
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Izmir Katip Celebi University Ataturk Training and Research Hospital, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Nezahat
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Erdoğan
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Izmir Katip Celebi University Ataturk Training and Research Hospital, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ahmet Ata
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Ece
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Dokuz Eylül University School of Medicine, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Yuksel
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Olgun
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Izmir Katip Celebi University Ataturk Training and Research Hospital, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ibrahim
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Aladag
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Izmir Katip Celebi University Ataturk Training and Research Hospital, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Sedat
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ozturkcan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007012:Hypopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D000077195:Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*
keywords: computed tomography; head and neck cancer; magnetic resonance imaging; prevertebral space invasion