STROBOSCOPY AND IMAGING IN INTERDISCIPLIN ARY DIAGNOSIS OF EARLY STAGES OF CARCINOMA OF THE LARYNX

The laryngostroboscopy is regarded to be die mast important functional investigation in laryngologic and phoniatric diagnostics. She allows an analysis of Vocal fold vibrations during phonation. Stroboscopic ev aluations permit to early detect infiltrative processes of the vocal f olds. Superficial alterations of the mucous membrane that invade into the muscle cause a phonatory ''standstill'' of tile vocal fold in tile stroboscopy, i.e. a complete lack of vibratory motion. If such a phon atory standstill persists far more than 2 or 3 weeks, a biopsy via mic rolaryngoscopy is indicated for diagnostic purposes. In comparison to stroboscopy, imaging techniques are not of such great significance in early laryngeal cancer. But in case of suspected infiltration of the t umor a further diagnostic evaluation with CT or MRI is necessary to de tect possible neoplastic invasion of the laryngeal cartilage or of ext ralaryngeal structures. In this paper, we present the principle of lar yngostroboscopy, the examination procedure and the stroboscopic parame ters. Case reports of early laryngeal cancer illustrate the interdisci plinary diagnostic procedure with CT, MRI and stroboscopy.