title: [Pathological changes of the hypopharynx in the focus of imaging].
abstract: The spectrum of pathological changes in anatomical sections of the hypopharynx ranges from benign pathologies to hypopharyngeal carcinoma. Beside the clinical status and the endoscopic evaluation performed by ear, nose and throat specialists, imaging techniques play an important role in pre-therapeutic and post-therapeutic diagnostics and in the follow-up of pharyngeal disease patterns, especially for malignant lesions. A conventional x-ray swallow examination, contrast-enhanced multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), as well as positron emission tomography (PET) and positron emission tomography computed tomography (PET-CT) are applied depending on the medical question and disease. Especially in radiological oncology, it is extremely important in regions which are clinically difficult to assess to determine the exact localization and extent of hypopharyngeal pathologies to plan the optimal therapy for the patient. This article demonstrates the radiological appearance of pathological changes of the hypopharynx and discusses in particular the hypopharynx carcinoma in the focus of pre-therapeutic and post-therapeutic imaging.
authors.affiliation: Klinische Abteilung für Neuroradiologie und muskuloskelettale Radiologie, Universitätsklinik für Radiodiagnostik, Medizinische Universität Wien, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, A-1090, Wien, Osterreich. stefan.nemec@meduniwien.ac.at
authors.forename: S F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Nemec
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Formanek
authors.forename: I M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Noebauer-Huhmann
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Krestan
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Frühwald
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Peloschek
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Herneth
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Czerny
mesh_terms: D003287:Contrast Media / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D007012:Hypopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D007013:Hypopharynx / Q000473:pathology*; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010608:Pharyngeal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D011379:Prognosis; D036542:Tomography, Spiral Computed; D016672:Zenker Diverticulum / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media