F Lalfamkima1, GL Georgeno2, N Koteswara Rao3, Rajkumar Selvakumar4, Vimal Joseph Devadoss2, Niroshini Rajaram5, Shomaila Farid6, T Lalchhuanawma1, Abhishek Singh Nayyar7
1Consultant Dental Surgeon, Selection Grade, Dental Department, Civil Hospital, Aizawl, Mizoram, India
2Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Rajas Dental College and Hospital, Kavalkinaru, Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu, India
3Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Drs Sudha and Nageswara Rao Siddhartha Institute of Dental Sciences, Chinoutpalli, Gannavaram Mandal, Krishna District, Andhra Pradesh, India
4Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Rajah Muthiah Dental College and Hospital, Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar, Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu, India
5Department of Oral Pathology and Microbiology, RVS Dental College and Hospital, Sulur, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India
6Consultant, Division of Infection Prevention and Control, Infection Control Department, Security Forces Specialized Health Center, Taif, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
7Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, Saraswati Dhanwantari Dental College and Hospital and Post-graduate Research Institute, Parbhani, Maharashtra, India
DOI: 10.4103/jcar.JCar_27_20
ABSTRACT
CONTEXT AND AIM: The inaccuracies in clinical examination have been well documented, while advanced imaging modalities, including computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), have been shown to have superior diagnostic accuracy in detecting occult and nodal metastasis. The aim of the present study was to identify as well as evaluate the inaccuracies in clinical examination and of clinical diagnostic criteria in known cases of oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCCs) with the help of MRI.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 24 patients attending as outpatients were included in the study, while clinically diagnosed and histopathologically proven cases of OSCC were examined clinically and then subjected to advanced imaging with the help of MRI.
STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Statistical analysis was done using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 17.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA), while paired t-test was performed for evaluating the size of tumor and lymph node recorded on clinical and imaging findings. A P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
RESULTS: Detection of tumor size and lymph node metastasis was found to be higher in case of MRI than when accomplished by clinical staging alone, while paired t-test values for difference in results were found to be statistically significant (P < 0.05).
CONCLUSIONS: The present study showed that clinical diagnostic criteria alone were not sufficient and reliable for detecting metastatic lymphadenopathy, highlighting the significance of advanced imaging modalities such as MRI for an efficient preoperative diagnostic workup, as well a tool for planning treatment in patients with OSCCs.
Keywords: Magnetic resonance imaging, metastasis, multimodal imaging, oral squamous cell carcinoma