Cited 33 times since 1996 (1.1 per year) source: EuropePMC Radiology, Volume 198, Issue 1, 1 1 1996, Pages 151-155 Laryngeal carcinoma after radiation therapy: correlation of abnormal MR imaging signal patterns in laryngeal cartilage with the risk of recurrence. Castelijns JA, van den Brekel MW, Tobi H, Smit EM, Golding RP, van Schaik C, Snow GB
Purpose
To correlate abnormal magnetic resonance (MR) imaging signal patterns in cartilage with the effectiveness of radiation treatment.
Materials and methods
Eighty previously untreated patients underwent MR imaging and radiation therapy with a curative intent. Cartilage was considered to have an abnormal signal pattern if it had intermediate signal intensity on T1-weighted spin-echo (SE) MR images and high signal intensity on T2-weighted SE MR images. The minimum follow-up was 2 years.
Results
Abnormal MR imaging signal patterns of the thyroid cartilage (P < .001; P < .04) were more ominous than those of other cartilage. Abnormal signal patterns in cartilage of patients with small tumors (< 5 cm3 and especially < 1 cm3) were less significant. Abnormal signal patterns in cartilage combined with a large tumor (> 5 cm3) worsened the prognosis significantly (P < .05).
Conclusion
Abnormal MR imaging signal patterns in cartilage may not indicate a poor prognosis in every case. Abnormal signal intensity in the thyroid cartilage combined with a tumor volume of > 5 cm3, however, appears to indicate an adverse prognosis with regard to tumor recurrence.
