MRI–Histopathological Correlation Analysis of Tumor Infiltration in Squamous Cell Carcinomas of the Floor of the Mouth

OBJECTIVE: To retrospectively analyze the existence of a correlation between MRI findings and histopathological data on tumor infiltration in squamous cell carcinomas of the floor of the mouth. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective study from January 1, 2015 to January 31, 2023 including Dijon University Hospital patients who were diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma of the floor of the mouth and underwent surgical management and histopathological examination. The correlation between MRI and histopathological measurements was assessed using Spearman's rank correlation test, with a p-value ≤ 0.05 considered statistically significant. RESULTS: Twenty patients were included, 15 were male (75%), with a mean age of 66 years. All patients had exposure to major risk factors such as tobacco and/or alcohol consumption. The eighth edition of the TNM classification was used. A significant correlation was found between MRI and histological measurements (p=0.0005). This correlation remained significant for patients with a treatment delay of four weeks or less (p=0.0310), but was not significant for delays greater than four weeks (p=0.0830). CONCLUSION: There is significant MRI-histopathological correlation with tumor infiltration in squamous cell carcinomas of the floor of the mouth, underlining the importance of prompt care to maximize the reliability of imaging assessments and optimize therapeutic decisions.