CT and MRI of head and neck cutaneous lesions

Cutaneous lesions are derived from the epidermis, dermis and cutaneous appendages. Whilst imaging may occasionally be performed to evaluate such lesions, they may be undiagnosed and demonstrated for the first time on head and neck imaging studies. Although usually amenable to clinical examination and biopsy, CT or MRI studies may also demonstrate characteristic imaging features which aid the radiological differential diagnosis. In addition, imaging studies define the extent and staging of malignant lesions, as well as the complications of benign lesions. It is important for the radiologist to understanding the clinical significance and associations of these cutaneous conditions. This pictorial review will describe and depict the imaging appearances of benign, malignant, overgrowth, blistering, appendage and syndromic cutaneous lesions. An increasing awareness of the imaging characteristics of cutaneous lesions and related conditions will help the framing of a clinically relevant report.