CHAPTER 5

CT Studies

o
The protocol marked with an asterisk must be completed on a patient,
not a simulation.
Mandatory

I
*

Neck
Larynx
Soft tissue*
Carotid angiography

Elective
3

5*

)F THE LARYNX 1

Elective minimum required is 3.

Common Indications

Differentiation between soft tissue masses and lymph nodes

Evaluation of the function of the vocal cords

Imaging Considerations______________________________________________________
Imaging of the larynx is typically demonstrated with axial images. The
slices within the scan range are normally thin to improve spatial resolution. The axial images should be generated parallel to the vocal cords
which also corresponds to the same plane as the cervical disks.
Angulation of the slices may be changed to avoid dental artifacts. The
FOV should be large enough to include the lateral borders of the neck.
Before the examination, the patient should be instructed to avoid
swallowing during the imaging process. Some facilities may use a
phonation technique for examination of the larynx. During this process,
the patient is instructed to pronounce the letter e during scanning to
evaluate the function of the vocal cords. Imaging of the larynx typically
includes the use of intravenous contrast medium to improve the contrast
resolution of vascular structures and help identify masses. Contrast
medium should be used per facility standards.
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