| Popis: |
Imaging plays a pivotal role in the management of head and neck cancer (HNC). CT and MRI are used as initial staging investigations, whilst PET-CT is performed if the primary tumour is not evident. PET-CT is also recommended in patients with more advanced stage HNC to assess for mediastinal disease or metastases. Ultrasound (US) with fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is a useful adjunct to CT and MRI for the detection of involved lymph nodes. PET-CT is used to assess response to definitive treatment with chemoradiation. The combination of US, CT, and MRI is also used to assess salivary gland tumours. MRI is particularly useful for detecting perineural invasion. US is the imaging modality of choice for both diagnosis and follow up of thyroid cancer, usually with FNAC or core biopsy. CT or MRI is reserved only for locally advanced disease to assess whether surgery is feasible. CT may be used to assess for pulmonary metastases. |
