Spiral CT of the larynx.
OBJECTIVE
To compare conventional and spiral CT studies of the larynx.


METHODS
Ten patients had both conventional and spiral CT studies of the neck using 5-mm section collimation and 5-mm increments. The spiral scans also were reconstructed at 2-mm increments. Five patients had two spiral CT larynx studies with 5-mm and 2-mm collimation. Two observers independently rated the visibility of laryngeal structures and absence of motion artifact in the studies and assigned values from 1 (poor) to 4 (excellent).


RESULTS
The spiral scan images showed less motion artifact (1.9 versus 3.6) and better anatomic detail (2.3 versus approximately 2.6). Thinner reconstruction intervals and sections gave better anatomic detail (2.3 versus approximately 3.3). Interobserver kappa was 0.65.


CONCLUSIONS
Spiral is better than conventional CT scanning when studying the larynx.
Suojanen
J N
JN
Department of Radiology, New England Deaconess Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215.
Mukherji
S K
SK
Wippold
F J
FJ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016477:Artifacts; D005260:Female; D005931:Glottis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007817:Laryngeal Cartilages / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D007818:Laryngeal Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D007830:Larynx / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015588:Observer Variation; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*; D014827:Vocal Cords / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology