Abstract:Background: This study was conducted to evaluate the role of MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) in theevaluation of carcinoma of the tongue with histopathological correlation.Methods: This study was a prospective hospital-based investigation that involved 50 patients who had beendiagnosed with tongue carcinoma based on clinical or biopsy findings. The patients were referred for magneticresonance imaging from Acharya Harihara Postgraduate Institute of Cancer to the Department ofRadiodiagnosis at SCB Medical College and Hospital, Cuttack, Odisha, for a two-year period. The study wasapproved by the institutional ethics committee, and the participants provided written informed consent.Results: Almost perfect agreement (k = 0.928) was seen between MRI and histopathological N stagingassessment. The mean depth of invasion by histopathology and MRI was found to be 7.848 mm and 8.664 mmrespectively. Good agreement (k = 0.851) was found between radiological and pathological tumour depth. Outof fifty cases, 44 (88%) were found to be well differentiated (G1), 4 (8%) moderately differentiated (G2, and 2(4%) poorly differentiated (G3) squamous cell carcinoma. Lymphovascular invasion was seen in 14 (28%)cases and perineural invasion was seen in 12 (24%) cases. Both lymphovascular and perineural invasions werefound in 6 (12%) cases in the post-surgical histopathological study. The worst pattern of invasion was seen in12 (24%) patients on histopathology.Conclusion: MRI is the preferred imaging modality for the assessment of tongue carcinoma due to its ability toprecisely stage the tumour using the TNM classification system. This staging is essential for optimisingtreatment choices, such as glossectomy/marginal mandibulectomy, radiation, or both. 

Abstract:Background: This study was conducted to evaluate the role of MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) in theevaluation of carcinoma of the tongue with histopathological correlation.Methods: This study was a prospective hospital-based investigation that involved 50 patients who had beendiagnosed with tongue carcinoma based on clinical or biopsy findings. The patients were referred for magneticresonance imaging from Acharya Harihara Postgraduate Institute of Cancer to the Department ofRadiodiagnosis at SCB Medical College and Hospital, Cuttack, Odisha, for a two-year period. The study wasapproved by the institutional ethics committee, and the participants provided written informed consent.Results: Almost perfect agreement (k = 0.928) was seen between MRI and histopathological N stagingassessment. The mean depth of invasion by histopathology and MRI was found to be 7.848 mm and 8.664 mmrespectively. Good agreement (k = 0.851) was found between radiological and pathological tumour depth. Outof fifty cases, 44 (88%) were found to be well differentiated (G1), 4 (8%) moderately differentiated (G2, and 2(4%) poorly differentiated (G3) squamous cell carcinoma. Lymphovascular invasion was seen in 14 (28%)cases and perineural invasion was seen in 12 (24%) cases. Both lymphovascular and perineural invasions werefound in 6 (12%) cases in the post-surgical histopathological study. The worst pattern of invasion was seen in12 (24%) patients on histopathology.Conclusion: MRI is the preferred imaging modality for the assessment of tongue carcinoma due to its ability toprecisely stage the tumour using the TNM classification system. This staging is essential for optimisingtreatment choices, such as glossectomy/marginal mandibulectomy, radiation, or both.