RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Perineural spread of head and neck tumors: how accurate is MR imaging?
JF American Journal of Neuroradiology
JO Am. J. Neuroradiol.
FD American Society of Neuroradiology
SP 701
OP 706
VO 19
IS 4
A1 W R Nemzek
A1 S Hecht
A1 R Gandour-Edwards
A1 P Donald
A1 K McKennan
YR 1998
UL http://www.ajnr.org/content/19/4/701.abstract
AB PURPOSE Our aim was to determine the precision of MR imaging evaluation of perineural spread of head and neck tumors.METHODS Nineteen patients had complete extirpation of head and neck tumors (10 squamous cell carcinomas, four adenoid cystic carcinomas, one poorly differentiated carcinoma, one salivary duct carcinoma, one mucoepidermoid carcinoma, one chordoma, and one meningioma) with histologic confirmation of perineural spread. Findings at presurgical contrast-enhanced MR imaging were compared with findings at pathologic examination.RESULTS The sensitivity of MR imaging for detection of perineural spread was 95%; however, the sensitivity for mapping the entire extent of perineural spread fell to 63%.CONCLUSION MR imaging may fail to depict microscopic foci of perineural tumor infiltration, leading to underestimation of the extent of perineural spread. Nevertheless, with careful analysis of foraminal architecture and MR enhancement patterns, one can reliably identify the presence if not the extent of perineural spread.