MRI Evaluation On Staging Of Laryngeal And Hypopharyngeal Cancers

Objective To evaluate the value of MRI in the preoperative T staging of laryngeal and hypopharyngeal cancers.Methods The MR images of 40 cases with laryngeal and hypopharyngeal cancers comfirmed by pathology was analyzed and staged retrospectively,and compared with the postsurgical pathologic staging.Results MRI of laryngeal and hypopharyngeal cancers showed vocal cord/ pharyngeal wall thickening or soft tissue mass.The accuracy of each preoperative T stage of laryngeal and hypopharyngeal cancers was: T1: 100%(1/1), T2: 80%(12/15), T3: 83.3%(5/6), T4: 100%(18/18), overall accuracy was 90%(36/40). The sensitivity and positive predictive value of MRI in assessing invasion was 95.4%(83/87)and 89.2%(83/93)respectively,and 4.6%(4/87)invasion was missed.Conclusion MRI can reveal the site,shape and extension of the tumor correctly,and has important diagnostic value in clinical preoperative staging.