title: Imaging of the postoperative neck with emphasis on surgical flaps and their complications.
abstract: Radiologists are playing an increasingly important role in the management of patients with head and neck cancer. Imaging is often essential in preoperative planning. It is therefore imperative for the radiologist to be familiar with the wide variety of surgical procedures used as well as the normal CT and MR imaging appearance after such procedures. In addition, familiarity with the appearance of tumor recurrence and postoperative complications is essential. This pictorial essay illustrates the appearance of the normal and abnormal postoperative neck on CT scans and MR images, with an emphasis on reconstructive flaps. Postoperative complications evident on imaging studies are depicted, as is the appearance of tumor recurrence. One lymph node classification system is briefly reviewed as a basis for discussion of neck dissection and other surgical procedures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Miami School of Medicine, FL 33136, USA.
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Wester
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Whiteman
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Singer
authors.forename: B C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Bowen
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Goodwin
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009333:Neck / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D037981:Neck Dissection; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000175:diagnosis; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed