Reliability of MRI in measuring tongue tumour thickness: a 1.5T study

Tongue tumour thickness has been shown to have a correlation with neck nodal metastasis and hence patient survival. Current AJCC guidelines recommend inclusion of tongue tumour thickness measurement in routine radiologic staging. Several studies have attempted to define the accuracy of MRI in measuring tongue tumour thickness. The aim of our study was to compare tongue tumour thickness measured at T2-weighted and STIR sequences with histologic tongue tumour thickness.

Twenty-eight consecutive patients of tongue cancer who had undergone glossectomy were selected retrospectively. Tumours were measured in both STIR axial and T2-weighted coronal images and compared with histologic tumour thickness on resected specimens. Pearson's analysis was performed to determine the degree of correlation. Paired samples t-test was also used for comparison of mean tumour thicknesses measured on MRI with mean histologic tumour thickness.

Pearson correlation analysis showed good correlation of tumour thickness measured on MRI with actual histologic tumour thickness (R=0.876).

MRI provides a satisfactory prediction of tongue tumour thickness which in turn can be used todetermine the need for elective neck dissection in these patients.