Magnetic resonance imaging--a useful tool for airway assessment

The case is presented of a 58-year old man with a malignant non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the root of the tongue. Preoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) proved extremely useful in the evaluation of the upper aerodigestive tract, by providing sagittal sections of the hypopharynx and the inlet of the larynx. Thus, a potentially difficult intubation was confirmed in a patient in whom other investigations would not have produced comparable conclusions. Difficulties in airway management were avoided by performing a tracheostomy under local anesthesia. This represents a novel application of MRI, which might contribute to the safety of airway management.