Diagnostic imaging of tongue cancer: Comparison with Histopathological Findings

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the usefulness of maginetic resonance (MR) imaging for the preoperative measurement of the area of tumor invasion in tongue cancer. Patients and Methods : Forty five cases with tongue cancer were reviewed and analyzed in the present study from the file from 1990 to 2000 in our department. The tumor area determined by MR imaging was compared with the area where the tumor was really invading in the histopathological sections prepared from surgical material lesion detectability was compared among the following 3 type of images : T1-weighted spin echo imaging, T1WI-group ; T2-weighted spin echo imaging, T2WI-group ; enhanced MRI-group. Result : Lesion detectability was compared among the following 3 type of images : T2WI-group showed higher sensitivity than T1WI-group. The T2WI and enhanced MRI group showed similar lesion detectability, which was better than in the T1WI-group. The rate of tumor depth invasion of the diagnostic imaging accord with histopathological findings. The correlation coefficient between tumor area by MRI and histopathology generally showed high in over 20 mm group. Conclusion : The present study revealed that T2WI group showed high sensitivity in detecting tumor. The correlation coefficient between tumor area by MRI and histopathology generally showed high in over 20 mm group. T2WI group was superior to other group in demonstrating the lesion.