Virtual Endoscopy Using Spiral CT in Patients with Carcinomas of the Hypopharynx and Larynx.
10.3348/jkrs.2000.42.5.715
- Author:
Sang Gook SONG
1
;
Jeong Jin SEO
;
Tae Woong CHUNG
;
Hyeong Kil KIM
;
Gwang Woo JEONG
;
Yong Yeon JEONG
;
Heoung Keun KANG
;
Jae Sik CHO
Author Information
1. Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Chonnam University Medical School.
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Larynx, neoplasms;
Pharynx, neoplasms;
Computed tomography (CT), helical;
Computed tomography (CT), three-dimensional;
Computed tomography (CT), volume rendering
- MeSH:
Complement System Proteins;
Endoscopy*;
Humans;
Hypopharynx*;
Laryngoscopy;
Larynx*;
Tomography, Spiral Computed*
- From:Journal of the Korean Radiological Society
2000;42(5):715-720
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
PURPOSE: To compare the usefulness of virtual endoscopy using spiral CT with that of laryngoscopy in the detection and evaluation of laryngeal and pharyngeal carcinomas. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-four patients with pathologically proven laryngeal and pharyngeal carcinomas underwent laryngoscopy and virtual endoscopy using spiral CT. Eleven of the carcinomas were supraglottic, five were glottic, and eight were hypopharyngeal. Source images obtained by spiral CT were transmitted to an independent workstation and virtual endoscopic images were obtained using Navigator software. These were graded according to their quality (good, fair, bad), and were interpreted by two radiologists who were blinded to the conventional endoscopic findings. These latter were subsequently compared with the virtual endoscopic findings in terms of similarity to laryngoscopic examination and detectability of lesions. RESULTS: The overall image quality of virtual endoscopy was good in 16 cases (67%), fair in eight (33%), and bad in no case. Among the 11 supraglottic carcinomas, image quality was good in seven cases (64%), and fair in four (36%). In four of the five glottic carcinomas (80%) quality was good, and in one case (20%) it was fair, while among the eight hypopharyngeal carcinomas, quality was good in five cases (63%), and fair in three (37%). Overall, detection of the lesion was possible in 23 cases (96%). Due to the small size of the lesion, the CONCLUSION: Virtual endoscopy using spiral CT is a safe and noninvasive method, and also successfully detects laryngeal and pharygenal lesions, with good image quality. For the evaluation of laryngeal and hypopharyngeal carcinoma, its use may complement that of axial CT.
