J. Katsounakis et al., IMPACT OF MAGNETIC-RESONANCE-IMAGING AND COMPUTED-TOMOGRAPHY ON THE STAGING OF LARYNGEAL-CANCER, European archives of oto-rhino-laryngology, 252(4), 1995, pp. 206-208
This retrospective study quantitatively assessed the effects of magnet
ic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) on the staging
of laryngeal cancer. A blind comparison between CT and MRI was made i
n a group of previously untreated patients with squamous cell carcinom
as of the larynx. From June 1992 to November 1993, 29 patients were el
igible for study. Of these, 14 patients (48%) had supraglottic lesions
, 11 patients (40%) had glottic lesions and 4 patients (14%) had both.
No subglottic lesions were seen. The data suggest that clinical stagi
ng of laryngeal tumors is inadequate. MRI proved superior to CT for st
aging tumors, especially those confined to the supraglottis. Neverthel
ess, clinically staged T1 or T2 lesions could be adequately assessed b
y CT alone. Findings also indicate that MRI should be reserved for T3
or T4 clinically staged lesions. Furthermore, most nodal disease can b
e staged by CT.