Radiologic assessment of tumor and the carotid artery: Correlation of magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasound, and computed tomography with surgical findings

✍ Scribed by Dr. Alan W. Langman; Michael J. Kaplan; William P. Dillon; Gretchen A. W. Gooding

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1989
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 590 KB
• Volume: 11
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1043-3074
• DOI: 10.1002/hed.2880110511

✦ Synopsis

Carotid artery fixation is an extremely poor prognostic sign in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. Methods more precise than physical exam are necessary to determine whether a neck dissection is sufficient, to exclude patients from surgery, or to plan a carotid artery resection. Thirty-three patients with a suspicion of carotid wall attachment by physical examination or computed tomography (CT) were further evaluated by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ultrasound (US). The criterion for possible carotid involvement on CT was effacement of greater than 25% of the circumference of the artery. On MRI, the criterion that we proposed was any loss of the fascia1 plane around the internal or common carotid artery. This was considered effacement of the carotid artery wall. For US, the criterion we used was the loss of the echogeneity along the carotid wall. Histopathological correlation was available in 23 patients (24 necks) who either underwent surgery or necropsy (1 patient); 11 patients were felt not to be surgical candidates or declined surgery, though 1 of these 11 patients did undergo surgical resec-