Application Value of MRI Imaging in Preoperative Diagnosis of Cervical Lymph Node Metastasis in Oral Cancer Patients

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the application value of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the preoperative diagnosis of cervical lymph
node metastasis in oral cancer patients, compare its diagnostic efficacy with that of traditional clinical palpation, and explore the significance
of MRI imaging features in assisting clinical decision-making. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 126
oral cancer patients confirmed by postoperative pathology. All patients underwent preoperative cervical MRI examination and clinical palpation, with postoperative pathological diagnosis as the gold standard. Two senior radiologists independently reviewed the images. The diagnostic results, sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of MRI and palpation for cervical lymph node metastasis were statistically analyzed and
compared. Results: Among the 126 patients, postoperative pathology confirmed cervical lymph node metastasis in 30 cases (positive rate:
23.81%). The sensitivity (93.33%) and accuracy (96.83%) of MRI diagnosis were significantly higher than those of palpation (P?0.05). In
terms of specificity, MRI (97.92%) was higher than palpation (92.71%), but the difference was not statistically significant (P?0.05). MRI
images showed that metastatic lymph nodes mostly presented with enlargement, regular margins, uniform density and moderate enhancement.
Conclusion: Compared with clinical palpation, MRI examination has higher sensitivity and diagnostic accuracy in the preoperative evaluation
of cervical lymph node metastasis in oral cancer. It can more effectively identify metastatic lymph nodes, especially helpful for detecting deep
or micro-metastatic foci that are difficult to be touched by palpation, providing a more reliable imaging basis for formulating precise surgical
and comprehensive treatment plans.