Computed tomography of the neck

The capabilities of CT to distinguish between soft tissue structures of varying densities, bone and air, coupled with the added advantage of utilizing intravascular contrast, particularly suits this method of examination to the study of head and neck disorders. With improved equipment permitting thinner sections and shorter exposure times, applications in head and neck diagnosis are increased. CT is used in the evaluation of salivary gland enlargements, staging of known tumors, the evaluation of a variety of neck swellings and in the assessment of laryngeal and facial trauma. In some cases, CT alone may be the only imaging procedure necessary, while in other situations, CT may comprise an important portion of comprehensive imaging evaluation.