High-Resolution T2-Weighted Imaging for Surveillance in Postoperative Vestibular Schwannoma: Equivalence with Contrast-Enhanced T1WI for Measurement and Surveillance of Residual Tumor

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Patients with surgically resected vestibular schwannoma will undergo multiple postoperative surveillance examinations, typically including postcontrast sequences. The purpose of this study was to compare high-resolution T2WI with gadolinium T1WI in the postoperative assessment of vestibular schwannoma.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a retrospective study of patients with a history of resected vestibular schwannoma at a single institution. High-resolution T2WI and gadolinium T1WI were independently evaluated for residual disease. In addition, 3D and 2D measurements were performed in the group of patients with residual tumor. Statistical analysis was performed to evaluate the agreement between sequences on the binary assessment (presence/absence of tumor on initial postoperative examination) and to evaluate the equivalence of measurements for the 2 sequences on 3D and 2D quantitative assessment in individuals with residual disease.

RESULTS: One hundred forty-eight patients with retrosigmoid-approach resection of vestibular schwannomas were included in the final analysis. There was moderate-to-substantial agreement between the 2 sequences for the evaluation of the presence versus absence of tumor (Cohen κ coefficient = 0.78; 95% CI, 0.68–0.88). The 2 sequences were significantly equivalent for 2D and 3D quantitative assessments (short-axis P value = .021; long-axis P value = .015; 3D P value = .039).

CONCLUSIONS: In this retrospective study, we demonstrate moderate-to-substantial agreement in the categoric assessment for the presence versus absence of tumor and equivalence between the 2 sequences for both 2D and volumetric tumor measurements as performed in the subset of patients with measurable residual. On the basis of these results, high-resolution T2WI alone may be sufficient for early postoperative imaging surveillance in this patient population.