Diagnostic role of multi-slice computerized tomography in laryngeal lesions

ABSTRACT

Diagnostic evaluation of the larynx and hypopharynx is primarily done with endoscopy as almost all malignancies of the larynx arise from the mucosal surface and thus are accessible to direct visualization and biopsy. The radiologist is seldom the first to diagnose malignancy and indeed cannot completely exclude laryngeal malignancy. However, the radiologist evaluates areas that the clinician cannot see Areas deep to the mucosa or blocked from direct visualization by the bulk of the tumour. CT, the standard imaging modality for larynx assessment for more than a decade, has recently become further enhanced by the introduction of multislice computerized tomography which enables much faster image acquisition and multiplanar or three-dimensional image reconstruction, and virtual endoscopic study. Virtual endoscopy is a computer-generated simulation of endoscopic perspective obtained by processing digital data sets. The simulation can be obtained by dedicated software that reconstructs in three dimensions data obtained from computed tomography. The main advantage of virtual endoscopy is the unrestricted positioning of virtual endoscope within the air spaces of the larynx. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of multislice CT in the diagnosis of laryngeal lesions. This study involved 37 patients [24 males, 13 females], with age range of 18-80 years [mean age 45.5 years]. They were all referred from the ENT department in Kasr Al-Aini hospitals presenting with a known or suspected laryngeal lesion. Multislice CT was done to all patients with reconstruction of the images in different planes, and performing 3-D reconstruction and virtual laryngoscopic study. The lesion exact site, size, extent and effects were detected in all cases