Imaging studies for head and neck infections

Imaging the head and neck presents a unique challenge because of the dense concentration of complex anatomy and the importance of lesion localization in formulating the differential diagnosis and prognosis. Critical imaging features such as the ability to define fascial borders of soft tissue neck compartments, the demonstration of intricate anatomy such as the temporal bones and paranasal sinuses, and the noninvasive assessment of vascular integrity have improved greatly in recent years in parallel with the rapid technologic advances in multidetector CT and MRI. After comparing the available imaging techniques, this article explores the imaging findings by anatomic region.