Predictive value of R2∗ values derived from blood oxygen level-dependent magnetic resonance imaging for lymph node metastasis after neoadjuvant chemotherapy for cervical squamous cell carcinoma
The aim of this study was to investigate the predictive value of R2∗ values obtained from blood oxygen-level-dependent magnetic resonance imaging (BOLD-MRI) for lymph node metastasis (LNM) after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) in patients with stage IB-IIA cervical squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC). Patients diagnosed with CSCC and scheduled to undergo radical hysterectomy following NACT were prospectively recruited. Each patient underwent conventional MRI and BOLD-MRI within 1 week before NACT and again within 1 week before surgery. In this study, 67 patients diagnosed with CSCC were recruited. Of the 67 evaluable women, 15 were finally classified as LNM-positive and 52 as LNM-negative. The evaluation based on the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumours version 1.1 performed within 1 week before surgery showed that none of the patients had progressive disease. No significant differences were observed between the LNM and non-LNM groups in basic clinical information (P > 0.05). Statistical differences were found between the patients who ultimately developed LNM (LNM group) and those who did not (non-LNM group), as well as in Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics staging, lymphovascular space invasion (LVSI) status, depth of stromal invasion, and NACT response (P < 0.05). In both groups, R2∗ The R2∗