PREDICTIVE VALUE OF MR IMAGING-DEPENDENT AND NON-MR IMAGING-DEPENDENTPARAMETERS FOR RECURRENCE OF LARYNGEAL-CANCER AFTER RADIATION-THERAPY

PURPOSE: To determine the predictive value of several clinical and rad iologic parameters for recurrence of laryngeal cancer. MATERIALS AND M ETHODS: Eighty previously untreated patients underwent magnetic resona nce (MR) imaging before radiation therapy with curative intent. Tumor volume was calculated from T1-weighted MR images. Cartilage was consid ered invaded by pathologic tissue if it had intermediate signal intens ity 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. RESULT S: Parameters such as age, sex, histopathologic findings, and invasion of the vocal muscle or preepiglottic space were not significantly cor related with tumor recurrence. Logistic regression analysis showed thr ee relevant contributors: cord mobility, as judged clinically, and tum or volume and, more significantly, cartilage invasion, as seen at MR i maging. CONCLUSION: For untreated laryngeal cancer, MR imaging finding s of tumor volume and cartilage invasion allow better patient selectio n for either radiation therapy or surgery. MR imaging is mandatory for T staging of laryngeal cancer.