Preda L, et al. - This article was written with the objectives to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of MRI performed utilizing surface coils, with and without contrast medium, in predicting thyroid and cricoid cartilage infiltration in laryngeal tumours, and to research whether the radiologist's experience impacts diagnostic accuracy. Based on these outcomes, staging of laryngeal tumours with surface coil MRI demonstrated good diagnostic accuracy in evaluating cartilaginous infiltration. They found similar values of diagnostic accuracy for the investigation performed with and without contrast medium for the senior radiologist.

Methods

• They retrospectively selected patients with biopsy-proven laryngeal cancer who had undergone preoperative staging MRI and open surgery.
• In this study, two radiologists with different experience (senior vs. junior) reviewed the MR images without (session A1) and with contrast medium (session A2) separately.
• They figured the accuracy of MRI with and without contrast medium in detecting infiltration of the thyroid and cricoid cartilages.
• Interobserver agreement was ascertained by Cohen’s Kappa (k).

Results

• Total 42 patients were enlisted, for a total of 62 cartilages.
• In session A1 the senior and junior radiologists demonstrated an accuracy of 85% and 71%, respectively, with k = 0.53 (0.33-0.72).
• In session A2 the senior and junior radiologists demonstrated an accuracy of 84% and 77%, respectively, with k = 0.68 (0.49-0.86).