LARYNGEAL TUMORS ASSESSMENT BY COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY AND MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING

Abstract

In recent years, computed tomography (CT) has been found to have wide application in evaluation of laryngeal tumors. The ability of CT to show tumor extension makes it an ideal method for evaluation of laryngeal and hypopharyngeal tumors. Mancuso, Hanafee, 1985, Mafee, 1984, Archer et al., 1978, Parsons et al. , 1981, Larson et al. , 1981, Hoover et al. , 1984, Katsantonis et al. , 1986, Sulfaro et al. , 1989, Gamsu et al. , 1981. Limitations of clinical examination and endoscopy in determining accurately the extension of laryngeal tumors are well recognized. Pillsbury, Kirchner, 1979.

Recent advances in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may help in evaluation of laryngeal tumors especially identification of cartilage invasion. However, further MRI studies are required in this area. Mancuso, Hanafee 1985, Wortham et al., 1986, Hoover et al., 1987.

Thirty-five patients suffering from laryngeal tumors were the material of this study. All cases were treated in the departments of otorhino­ laryngology of Benha and Alexandria university hospitals. Each case was evaluated by history taking, clinical examination, direct laryngoscopy and biopsy, CT and/or MRI, and histopathological examination of the excised specimen. Our series included the following tumors, supraglottic (thirteen cases),

glottic-supraglottic (seven cases), glottic (three cases), glottic-subglottic (one case) and transglottic (eleven cases). All cases were assessed and staged clinically and by CT and/or MRI. Thirty-four patients were studied by CT and one patient by MRI only. Thirty of these patients were studied by both CTandMRI.