The value of routine clinical and radiologic studies in predicting neoplastic invasion of cricoarytenoid units.
OBJECTIVE
Evaluation of the laryngeal cartilages is essential for the treatment strategy of patients with laryngeal carcinoma. Our aim was to assess the accuracy of preoperative clinical examinations and CT for preoperative evaluation.


METHODS
A prospective comparative study was performed at a university department on 30 patients with advanced laryngeal carcinomas. All patients were men and underwent total laryngectomy. The preoperative mobility of vocal folds was evaluated and classified as mobile, impaired, or fixed. CT was performed by using multidetector row CT. Cricoarytenoid units (CAUs) from the laryngectomy specimens were cut into sections. Histologic findings were compared with the clinical and radiologic findings.


RESULTS
The accuracy of combined clinical and CT staging in CAUs with normal mobility, impaired mobility, and absent mobility and negative CT findings was 96.5%, 50%, and 80%, respectively. These scores were 40%, 54.5%, and 83.3% for CAUs with normal mobility, impaired mobility, and absent mobility and positive CT findings, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Arytenoid mobility and >1 cartilage abnormality on CT were found to be reliable indicators of neoplastic cartilage invasion in patients with laryngeal carcinoma.
Cagli
S
S
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey. caglisedat@yahoo.com
Oztürk
M
M
Yüce
I
I
Deniz
K
K
Güney
E
E
D001706:Biopsy; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D006801:Humans; D007821:Laryngeal Muscles / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D007825:Laryngectomy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019042:Muscle Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011300:Preoperative Care; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012015:Reference Standards; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D014827:Vocal Cords / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology