THE ROLE OF MRI SCANNING IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF CERVICAL LYMPHADENOPATHY

In a blind, prospective trial, 42 patients undergoing 51 cervical lymp h node dissections for head and neck malignancies were investigated by a preoperative MRI scan. Histological examination of the dissection s pecimens recorded the distribution, size, percentage of neoplastic inv olvement and any extra-capsular spread of the sampled nodes. The MRI c orrectly diagnosed all 17 positive nodes (sensitivity 100%). However i t could not differentiate between enlarged reactive and malignant node s, so there was a significant false positive rate (specificity 53%). R outine use of MRI scans will allow an unnecessary neck dissection to b e avoided in a patient with a clinically negative neck who also has a negative MRI scan.