Abstract

Objective: To study the difference of the Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging (DCE-MRI) parameters among the primary tumor, metastatic node and peripheral normal tissue of head and neck cancer.

Materials and Methods: Consecutive newly-diagnosed head and neck cancer patients with nodal metastasis between December 2010 and July 2013 were recruited, and 25 patients (8 females; 24~63, mean 43±11 years old) were enrolled. DCE-MRI was performed in the primary tumor region including the regional lymph nodes on a 3.0-T MRI system. Three quantitative parameters: Ktrans (volume transfer constant), ve (volume fraction of extravascular extracellular space) and kep (the rate constant of contrast transfer) were calculated for the largest node. A repeated-measure ANOVA with a Greenhouse-Geisser correction and post hoc tests using the Bonferroni correction were used to evaluate the differences in Ktrans, ve and kep among primary tumors, metastatic nodes and normal tissue.

Results: The values of both Ktrans and ve of normal tissue differed significantly from those of nodes (both P < 0.001) and primary tumors (both P < 0.001) respectively, while no significant differences of Ktrans and ve were observed between nodes and primary tumors (P = 0.075 and 0.365 respectively). The kep values of primary tumors were significantly different from those of nodes (P = 0.001) and normal tissue (P = 0.002), while no significant differences between nodes and normal tissue (P > 0.999).

Conclusion: The DCE-MRI parameters were different in the tumors, metastatic nodes and normal tissue in head and neck cancer. These findings may be useful in the characterization of head and neck cancer.

Keywords: Head and neck cancer, dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging, primary tumor, nodal metastasis, normal tissue, quantitative analysis.

Graphical Abstract