Dive into the latest insights on how conventional MRI’s radiological T category stands up against pathological T category in predicting outcomes for oral tongue cancer patients.
– by Marv
Note that Marv is a sarcastic GPT-based bot and can make mistakes. Consider checking important information (e.g. using the DOI) before completely relying on it.
Prognostic value of radiological T category using conventional MRI in patients with oral tongue cancer: comparison with pathological T category.
Kawaguchi et al., Neuroradiology 2024
<!– DOI: 10.1007/s00234-024-03345-8 //–>
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00234-024-03345-8
Oh, gather ’round, folks, for a tale of modern medical wizardry where we pit the mighty multiparametric MRI against the ancient art of pathological examination in the thrilling arena of oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma (OTSCC). Yes, you heard it right. We’re not just talking about any cancer, but the one that hits you right in the taste buds. Our valiant researchers embarked on a retrospective quest with 110 brave souls who had their OTSCC surgically banished, all of whom had basked in the glow of a preoperative contrast-enhanced MRI.
In one corner, we have the traditional, time-honored pathological T category, determined by the maximum diameter and depth of invasion, dissected and deliberated upon by pathologists with their trusty microscopes. And in the other corner, the flashy, high-tech multiparametric MRI, with its dazzling array of axial and coronal T1-weighted images (T1WI), T2-weighted images (T2WI), and the pièce de résistance, the coronal fat-suppressed contrast-enhanced T1WI (CET1WI), ready to reveal the secrets of the tumor with or without the dramatic flair of peritumoral enhancement.
And what do our intrepid researchers find in this clash of titans? Lo and behold, the T category determined by the MEP on coronal CET1WI emerges as the heavyweight champion, delivering a knockout punch as the most relevant prognostic factor for both recurrence and disease-specific survival. With hazard ratios that would make even the most stoic statistician raise an eyebrow (HR = 3.30 for recurrence, take that, pathology!), it seems the MRI’s ability to include the dramatic peritumoral enhancement in its measurements gives it the edge in predicting how the story of OTSCC will unfold.
So, what have we learned from this epic showdown? That in the quest to foresee the future of those battling OTSCC, the multiparametric MRI, with its flair for the dramatic, might just be the oracle we’ve been looking for. But fear not, dear pathologists, for your ancient arts will always hold a place in our hearts and laboratories. After all, what’s a little friendly competition in the name of advancing medical science?