ABSTRACT
The aim of this study was to compare clinical staging and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) staging for oral cancer, and to assess inter-observer agreement between oral and medical radiologists. A total of 10 patients diagnosed with oral cancer were assessed before treatment. A head and neck surgeon performed clinical TNM staging. Two medical radiologists and two oral radiologists performed a new staging assessment by interpreting MRI scans, without prior knowledge of the clinical staging. They evaluated the extent of the primary tumor (T), metastasis to regional lymph nodes (N) and grouping by stages. The data were analyzed using the Kappa Index. There was significant agreement (p < 0.05) between the clinical and MRI staging assessments made by one oral radiologist for N stage, and between those made by one medical radiologist for the T and N stages and for the grouping by stages. In the MRI assessment, there was significant agreement among all four observers for both T stage and grouping by stages. For the N stage, there was no significant agreement between one oral radiologist and one medical radiologist or between both medical radiologists. There was significant agreement among the remaining radiologists. There was no agreement between the clinical and MRI staging. These results indicate the importance of using MRI for the diagnosis of oral cancer. Training initiatives and calibration of medical and oral radiologists should be promoted to provide an improved multidisciplinary approach to oral cancer.
Subject(s)
Adult , Aged , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/pathology , Magnetic Resonance Imaging/methods , Mouth Neoplasms/pathology , Neoplasm Staging/methods , Biopsy , Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/secondary , Observer VariationABSTRACT
OBJETIVO: Revisar a literatura concernente à utilização da ressonância nuclear magnética no estadiamento do câncer de boca e apresentar caso de neoplasia maligna onde a RNM contribuiu para a detecção da lesão em tecidos moles. RESULTADO E DISCUSSÃO: A RNM é a ferramenta de imagem que evolui com maior rapidez em diagnóstico na área de saúde. Suas vantagens principais são a alta resolução dos tecidos moles e ausência de risco biológico aos pacientes. Com estas qualidades, pode ser usada para detalhar a anatomia, permitindo melhor estadiamento das lesões no câncer bucal, contribuindo igualmente para o diagnóstico precoce de possíveis recidivas. No caso apresentado(neoplasia maligna de pequeno tamanho), a RNM contribuiu para a detecção da lesão em tecidos moles, na extensão da lesão e no planejamento cirúrgico.
OBJECTIVE: To review the literature about cancer staging by using magnetic resonance image (MRI) and to present a case to illustrate the utility of this image diagnosis tool. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: MRI is the fastest evolving imaging tool for diagnosis in health area. Its main advantages include a high detail resolution soft tissue and no biological risks to patients. Thus, it can be used to evaluate the detailed anatomy of structures, allowing better staging for treatment of patients with oral cavity cancer as well as better assessment of possible post-surgical treatment and/or radiotherapy changes. Early detection of relapses is also a key advantage, which might lead to appropriate monitoring, and protocols that could greatly improve patientswelfare. The present case study illustrates the difference between the CT scan and MRI in the analysis of a small lesion, where CT scan yielded no information on clinical staging while MRI was decisive in the soft tissue injury view, extent of lesion and adequate surgical planning.