Combination of ultrasonography and MRI for preoperative prediction of lymph node metastasis in tongue squamous cell carcinoma: An exploratory study.

ABSTRACT: Preoperative depth of invasion (DOI) is a critical predictor of cervical lymph node metastasis (CLNM) in tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC). Ultrasonography (US) offers high accuracy for shallow tumors, whereas magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provides superior visualization of deeper structures. However, each modality has limitations. This retrospective, exploratory study aimed to investigate a combined strategy leveraging the complementary strengths of both modalities to improve preoperative CLNM prediction. The study included 46 patients with TSCC who underwent radical surgery between September 2014 and August 2019. Correlations between US-derived DOI (usDOI), MRI-derived DOI (mrDOI), and pathological DOI (pDOI) were assessed using Pearson's product-moment correlation. Agreement was

SUBMITTER: Hijioka H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12810809 | biostudies-literature | 2026

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature