MR imaging of normal and cancerous laryngeal cartilages. Histopathological correlation

MRI appearances of laryngeal cartilages, normal or invaded by cancer, are still relatively unfamiliar to the majority of clinicians. Twelve primary laryngeal tumors out of a series of 65 patients who were investigated by MRI were also examined postoperatively by macro- and microscopic sectioning of the surgical specimens. Images were obtained with a 0.6 Tesla superconductive system using a half saddle-shaped surface coil. The authors emphasize the value of a combined use of Ti weighted and proton density spin echo images. Tl weighted images permit differentiation between pathological and normal bone marrow. Proton density images allow separation between non-ossified cartilage and tumor tissue. MRI is an additional tool in the diagnostic work-up of cartilage invasion by cancer.