[Identification of cervical lymph node micrometastasis of tongue cancer by color Doppler and MRI].

OBJECTIVE

To assess the values of color Doppler and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the identification of cervical lymph node micrometastasis of tongue cancer.

METHODS

Totally 96 cases of tongue cancer with impalpable neck lymph node was examined with color Doppler and MRI within one week before surgery. Chi-square test was used to assess if the presence of regional lymph node micrometastasis, histopathological analysis as a golden standard lymph node micrometastasis.

RESULTS

For the diagnosis of cervical lymph node micrometastasis, color Doppler was significantly better than MRI in sensitivity (72.5% vs 50.0%, P = 0.039) and the accuracy (78.1% vs 64.6%, P = 0.038), but no significant difference in the specificity (82.1% vs 75.0%, P = 0.357), the positive predictive value (74.4% vs 58.8%, P = 0.159) and the negative predictive value (80.7% vs 67.7%, P = 0.108).

CONCLUSION

Color Doppler is better than MRI in the sensitivity and accuracy for the diagnosis of cervical lymph node micrometastasis of tongue cancer.