Assessment of peri-neural invasion in oral cancer patients using MRI: A clinical and radiologic correlation study

Abstract

The diagnostic concordance between MRI and histopathology for detecting perineural invasion (PNI) in Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) patients is of interest. A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted involving 140 patients with histopathologically confirmed OSCC. Demographic, clinical and MRI data were collected, focusing on the presence of PNI, which was compared with histopathological findings for diagnostic accuracy. MRI is a reliable diagnostic tool for detecting perineural invasion in OSCC, with strong agreement to histopathological findings, supporting its clinical utility in treatment planning. Further studies are warranted to validate these findings across larger populations.

Keywords: MRI; Perineural invasion; clinical-radiologic correlation; histopathology; oral cancer.