PURPOSE: To assess the efficacy of MR imaging in the detection of lymph node @entity3 in @entity1 with no palpable lymph nodes ("N0 neck") who have squamous cell @entity135 region. MATERIAL AND METHODS: MR neck imagings in 18 @entity1 who underwent neck dissection (bilaterally in 2) for squamous cell @entity135 region were examined preoperatively for the purpose of detecting lymph node @entity3 . The imaging features taken into consideration were: size (cutoff point 10 mm), grouping, presence of central @entity39 , and appearance of extracapsular spread. The MR examinations comprised spin-echo T1- and T2-weighted sequences. The MR findings were compared with those of surgery and histopathological examination. RESULTS: MR suggested metastatic lymph node involvement in 5 necks. In 2 of these, central @entity39 was seen in the enlarged lymph nodes. In a third, a grouping of the lymph nodes was noted. Extracapsular spread was not present. Histopathological examination revealed metastatic lymph nodes in 7 of the 20 necks, the rate of clinically occult disease being 35%, and 4 of them had been accurately graded by MR. There was one false-positive MR examination. The MR sensitivity was 57.1% and specificity 92.3%. CONCLUSION: MR may reveal metastatic lymph nodes in @entity1 with no clinical evidence of @entity3 . However, conventional MR techniques are not always sufficient for decision-making on surgery in cases of "N0 neck".

MR imaging in squamous cell XXXX with no palpable lymph nodes.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['patients'] @entity135 :: ('MESH:D006258', 'Disease') :: ['carcinoma of the head and neck'] @entity3 :: ('MESH:D009362', 'Disease') :: ['metastasis', 'metastases'] @entity39 :: ('MESH:D009336', 'Disease') :: ['necrosis']
@entity135 :: (MESH:D006258,Disease) :: ['carcinoma of the head and neck']
