[Coexistence of laryngeal cancer and laryngocele: a radiologic and pathologic evaluation].

OBJECTIVES: We investigated the incidence of laryngocele in patients with laryngeal cancer and in healthy controls and evaluated the role of laryngocele in neck metastasis and thyroid cartilage invasion. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The incidence of laryngocele was investigated by computed tomography (CT) preoperatively in 52 patients (49 men, 3 women; mean age 56 years; range 36 to 79 years) with laryngeal cancer. The findings were compared with those of histopathologic studies; moreover, neck metastasis and thyroid cartilage invasion were sought. In addition, the incidence of laryngocele was examined in 50 normal controls. RESULTS: Histopathologic examination showed laryngocele in 17 patients (32.7%). The incidence of laryngocele by CT was 30.7% (n = 16). Computed tomography showed laryngocele in three cases (6%). Of patients with laryngocele, lymph node metastasis and thyroid cartilage invasion were detected histopathologically in 47% and 23.5%, respectively, whereas lymph node metastasis and thyroid cartilage invasion were found in 22.8% of patients without laryngocele (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The association between laryngeal cancer and laryngocele requires a detailed evaluation for laryngeal carcinoma in patients in whom an asymptomatic laryngocele had been detected by CT.