Principles of Head and Neck Imaging in Cancer

Patients with head and neck malignancy may present with a palpable mass or nonspecific symptoms to their physician. This chapter provides a brief description of the principles of head and neck imaging in cancer. The high metabolic uptake of head and neck tumors makes PET essential in the staging and surveillance of disease. Cross-sectional imaging with CT or MRI should be performed with contrast. When performing CT, attention to detail in the oral cavity to minimize metal artifact and delineate mucosal surfaces with puff cheek maneuver should routinely be done. Para-axial thin sections of the larynx should be routine for laryngeal imaging to assess the anterior commissure and paraglottic spaces. As MRI exams are lengthy and less well-tolerated by patients, protocols should be designed to tailor sequences to address the clinical query.