[Diseases of the aerodigestive tract and of the soft tissues of the neck. Comparison of MRI and CT].

CT and MRT are compared with each other in examinations of the aerodigestive tract in 250 patients. MRT was found to be the method of highest sensitivity and specificity after intravenous administration of the contrast medium Gd-DTPA. Magnetic resonance tomography was found to be clearly superior to computed tomography on account of the 3-dimensional imaging possibilities, improved contrasting of soft parts, and freedom from artifacts. In space-occupying growths of the nasopharynx, oropharynx and hypopharynx, the primary use of MRT must be considered mandatory in diagnostic strategy planning. CT occupies the second rank and can be used for optimised visualisation of small osseous lesions and for digital subtraction angiography (DSA). The latter plays an important role in the analysis of selective vascular supply and in diagnosis before intraarterial chemotherapy. In respect of processed in the soft tissues of the neck, pathological lesions of the lymph nodes, vessels, soft parts and cervical processes are differentiated (n = 139). For the diagnosis of the entire neck region, magnetic resonance tomography with the additional use of the contrast medium Gd-DTPA proves to be the method with the highest rate of accuracy. In processes of the soft tissues, sonography can also be employed as a primary diagnostic tool. However, in certain localisations and lesions this method can only be used with certain restrictions. According to the present state of the art, computed tomography must be considered as a secondary procedure in the diagnosis of the neck region.