Synthetic MRI quantitative parameters in discriminating stage T1 nasopharyngeal carcinoma and benign hyperplasia:...

To investigate the feasibility of synthetic MRI (syMRI) quantitative parameters and its combination with morphological features in discriminating stage T1 nasopharyngeal carcinoma (T1-NPC) and benign hyperplasia (BH).

Eighty-eight patients with nasopharyngeal lesions (T1-NPC, n = 54; BH, n = 34) were retrospectively enrolled between October 2020 and May 2022. The syMRI quantitative parameters of nasopharyngeal lesions (T1, T2, PD, T1_SD, T2_SD, PD_SD) and longus capitis (T1, T2, PD) were measured, and T1_ratio, T2_ratio and PD_ratio were calculated (lesion/longus capitis). The morphological features (lesion pattern, retention cyst, serrated protrusion, middle ear effusion, tumor volume, and retropharyngeal lymph node) were compared. Statistical analyses were performed using the independent sample t test, Chi-square test, logistic regression analysis, receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC), and DeLong test.

The T1, T2, PD, T1_SD, T1_ratio, and T2_ratio values of T1-NPC were significantly lower than those of BH. The morphological features (lesion pattern, retention cyst, retropharyngeal lymph node) were significant difference between these two entities. T2 value has the highest AUC in all syMRI quantitative parameters, followed by T1, T1_ratio, PD, T2_ratio and T1_SD. Combined syMRI quantitative parameters (T2, PD, T1_ratio) can further improve the diagnosis efficiency. Combined syMRI parameters and morphological feature (T2, PD, lesion pattern, retropharyngeal lymph node) has the excellent diagnostic efficiency, with AUC, sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of 0.979, 96.30%, 97.06%, 96.77%.

Synthetic MRI was helpful in distinguishing T1-NPC from BH, and combined syMRI quantitative parameters and morphological features has the optimal diagnostic performance.