Jiliang Ren1, Ying Yuan1, Xiaofeng Tao2. 1. Department of Radiology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No. 639 Zhizaoju Road, Shanghai, 200010, China. 2. Department of Radiology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No. 639 Zhizaoju Road, Shanghai, 200010, China. cjr.taoxiaofeng@vip.163.com.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To investigate the feasibility of whole-tumor histogram analysis of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) MRI for predicting occult lymph node metastasis (LNM) in early-stage oral tongue squamous cell cancer (OTSCC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study included 55 early-stage OTSCC (cT1-2N0M0) patients; 34 with pathological LNM and 21 without. Eight whole-tumor histogram features were extracted from quantitative apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) maps and two semi-quantitative DCE parametric maps (wash-in and wash-out). The clinicopathological factors and histogram features were compared between the two groups. Stepwise logistic regression was used to identify independent predictors. Receiver operating characteristic curves were generated to assess the performances of significant variables and a combined model for predicting occult LNM. RESULTS: MRI-determined depth of invasion and ADCentropy was significantly higher in the LNM group, with respective areas under the curve (AUCs) of 0.67 and 0.69, and accuracies of 0.73 and 0.73. ADC10th. ADCuniformity and wash-inskewness were significantly lower in the LNM group, with respective AUCs of 0.68, 0.71, and 0.69, and accuracies of 0.65, 0.71, and 0.64. Histogram features from wash-out maps were not significantly associated with cervical node status. In the logistic regression analysis, ADC10th, ADCuniformity, and wash-inskewness were independent predictors. The combined model yielded the best predictive performance, with an AUC of 0.87 and an accuracy of 0.82. CONCLUSIONS: Whole-tumor histogram analysis of ADC and wash-in maps is a feasible tool for preoperative evaluation of cervical node status in early-stage OTSCC. KEY POINTS: • Histogram analysis of parametric maps from DWI and DCE-MRI may assist the prediction of occult LNM in early-stage OTSCC. • ADC10th, ADCuniformity, and wash-inskewness were independent predictors. • The combined model exhibited good predictive performance, with an accuracy of 0.82.
OBJECTIVES: To investigate the feasibility of whole-tumor histogram analysis of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) MRI for predicting occult lymph node metastasis (LNM) in early-stage oral tongue squamous cell cancer (OTSCC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study included 55 early-stage OTSCC (cT1-2N0M0) patients; 34 with pathological LNM and 21 without. Eight whole-tumor histogram features were extracted from quantitative apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) maps and two semi-quantitative DCE parametric maps (wash-in and wash-out). The clinicopathological factors and histogram features were compared between the two groups. Stepwise logistic regression was used to identify independent predictors. Receiver operating characteristic curves were generated to assess the performances of significant variables and a combined model for predicting occult LNM. RESULTS: MRI-determined depth of invasion and ADCentropy was significantly higher in the LNM group, with respective areas under the curve (AUCs) of 0.67 and 0.69, and accuracies of 0.73 and 0.73. ADC10th. ADCuniformity and wash-inskewness were significantly lower in the LNM group, with respective AUCs of 0.68, 0.71, and 0.69, and accuracies of 0.65, 0.71, and 0.64. Histogram features from wash-out maps were not significantly associated with cervical node status. In the logistic regression analysis, ADC10th, ADCuniformity, and wash-inskewness were independent predictors. The combined model yielded the best predictive performance, with an AUC of 0.87 and an accuracy of 0.82. CONCLUSIONS: Whole-tumor histogram analysis of ADC and wash-in maps is a feasible tool for preoperative evaluation of cervical node status in early-stage OTSCC. KEY POINTS: • Histogram analysis of parametric maps from DWI and DCE-MRI may assist the prediction of occult LNM in early-stage OTSCC. • ADC10th, ADCuniformity, and wash-inskewness were independent predictors. • The combined model exhibited good predictive performance, with an accuracy of 0.82.