Publication | Closed Access
Detection and Characterization of Metastatic Cervical Adenopathy by MR Imaging
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1990
Year
Surgical OncologyEngineeringOncologic ImagingMagnetic ResonancePathologyGynecologyMagnetic Resonance ImagingNeuro-oncologyOncologyNeck DissectionRadiologyMetastatic Cervical AdenopathyMedical ImagingNeuroimagingMedical Image ComputingMri-guided Radiation TherapyNeck Dissection SpecimensDiagnostic NeuroradiologyCervical CancerBiomedical ImagingNeck PathologyHead And Neck CancerMedicineCervical Spine
Thirty-five patients scheduled to undergo a neck dissection for squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck were evaluated preoperatively by magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. Axial and occasionally sagittal and coronal images were obtained. To define the most reliable technique to detect cervical lymph node metastasis, we compared several MR pulse sequences with and without Gd-DTPA administration to histopathologic findings in the neck dissection specimens. T1-weighted spin echo combined with T2-weighted gradient recalled echo (GE) sequences were found to be more useful than any other combination of pulse sequences in localizing lymph nodes. On T2-weighted GE images, lymph nodes were depicted with intermediate to high signal intensity in contrast to low signal muscular and fatty tissue. Gadolinium DTPA enhanced T1-weighted GE images reliably depict central lymph node necrosis, the most specific criterion for lymph node metastasis.