CURRENTLY AVAILABLE RADIOLOGIC-DIAGNOSIS FOR THE ENT PHYSICIAN

Radiologic diagnosis has acquired an increased importance in head and neck diseases since the introduction of sectional imaging techniques. In addition to clinical and endoscopic examinations, CT has become the standard modality for TNM staging of malignant diseases. CT is also a basic tool in diagnosing benign diseases localized in or infiltrating into the deep head and neck regions. Ultrasound is widely available a nd is now well established in the diagnosis of superficial pathologies . Magnetic resonance is the newest imaging modality and is being incre asingly used in clinical practice. By avoiding ionizing radiation MRI provides an improved method for contrast studies and enables high-qual ity multiplanar imaging. The applications of this method are still exp anding with ongoing refinements of MR imaging techniques. Conventional radiological methods remain limited to a few indications. Radiation d ose and cost have now required replacement of traditional step-by-step diagnostic methods by the one method that can meet most requirements in a single examination.