Evaluation of Depth of Invasion on Contrast-Enhanced Computed Tomography in Tumours of the Gingivobuccal Complex-A Retrospective Analysis.

Depth of invasion (DOI) is an established independent prognostic factor in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and also predicts cervical nodal metastasis. Preoperative determination of DOI based on imaging can aid in decision-making regarding neck dissection or determining the prognosis of the disease. This study aimed to correlate the DOI measured on contrast enhanced computed tomography (rDOI) with the pathologically measured DOI (pDOI). Retrospective data of patients with OSCC of the gingivobuccal complex from January 2023 to July 2023 was collected. Two radiologists independently measured the DOI on axial and coronal planes of CECT. The correlation between rDOI and pDOI was determined. Stepwise multiple linear regression analysis was performed to predict the pDOI using rDOI. ROC curve analysis was performed for the rDOI as measured on both axial and coronal sections in predicting the nodal metastasis. A total of 59 patients were included in the study. The mean rDOI was 11.06 mm on axial section and 10.9 mm on coronal section, and pDOI was 9.7 mm. Spearman's correlation coefficient between pDOI and rDOI measured on axial (rho = 0.61; p value = 0.001) and coronal (rho = 0.62; p value = 0.001) sections implied strong correlation which was statistically significant. The present study attempted to establish the correlation and accuracy of CECT-determined rDOI in axial and coronal planes in gingivobuccal complex tumours. Multicentric studies with a larger sample size are mandated to augment the results obtained in this study.

Supplementary information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13193-024-01998-8.