NEOPLASTIC INVASION OF THE LARYNGEAL CARTILAGE - COMPARISON OF MR-IMAGING AND CT WITH HISTOPATHOLOGIC CORRELATION

PURPOSE: To compare the usefulness of computed tomography (CT) and gad olinium-enhanced magnetic resonance (MR) imaging in the detection of n eoplastic invasion of laryngeal cartilage. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In a prospective study, 53 patients with carcinoma of the larynx or pirifo rm sinus underwent CT and MR imaging before total or partial laryngect omy. The findings at imaging and pathologic examination were compared. RESULTS: At histologic examination, neoplastic invasion of cartilage was present in 34 patients and absent in 19. MR imaging was more sensi tive than CT (89% vs 66%; P = .001). Inflammatory changes and fibrosis , however, were indistinguishable from tumor on MR images, resulting i n overestimation of neoplastic invasion in a large number of patients. Therefore, MR imaging was less specific than CT (84% vs 94%; P = .004 ). CONCLUSION: MR imaging is more sensitive than CT in detecting neopl astic invasion of cartilage, but the inability to differentiate betwee n nonneoplastic inflammatory changes and tumor with MR imaging leads t o overestimation of neoplastic invasion.