Neuroradiology back to the future: head and neck imaging

Imaging of the head and neck was initially described within the first year after Roentgen's discovery of the x-ray and was used to localize foreign bodies in the head and neck area, including the orbital, laryngeal, and esophageal regions. Subsequently, x-rays were used to evaluate the air-filled paranasal sinuses, the pneumatized temporal bone, and the upper aerodigestive tract. Special views for evaluating these structures were developed by early investigators. As contrast agents were developed, a variety of invasive procedures were developed to assess the structures of the head and neck. CT and MR imaging were applied to the extracranial head and neck slightly later than the brain and spine; these modalities revolutionized head and neck radiology, finally allowing assessment of the deeper structures of this complex anatomic region.