CONTRAST-ENHANCED COMPUTED-TOMOGRAPHY OF FREELY TRANSPLANTED JEJUNAL PATCHES AFTER SURGERY IN THE ORAL CAVITY AND OROPHARYNX

Thirty-two patients with jejunal patches in the oral cavity and oropha rynx were examined with contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT). Th e morphology of the intestinal wall, the mesenteric fatty tissue, mese nteric lymph nodes and the region of the anastomosis were evaluated an d correlated with clinical findings. The size and number of mesenteria l lymph nodes, which were found in 16 cases, did not correlate with tu mour recurrence. The benign alterations of the intestinal wall ranged from flat surfaces with no enhancement to significant enhancement with persisting folds. In cases with persisting intestinal folds, separati on of tumour recurrence was achieved by identification of a typical do uble-layer configuration of the enhancing mucosa, and the restriction of alterations to the intestinal wall compartment. Tumour recurrences occured at patch margins and were reliably distinguished from normal p atches. For differentiation of findings, an exact localization of jeju num-patch compartments and margins with contrast-enhanced CT was, ther efore, necessary.