Laryngeal malignancies and computerized tomography. A correlation of tomographic and histopathologic findings.

We compared the anatomic structures, computerized tomographic (CT) scan images and the histopathologic findings after surgery in 15 patients with laryngeal epidermoid carcinoma. We examined the horizontal whole-mount histologic sections along with the preoperative CT and verified the preoperative impression of the soft tissue changes of preepiglottic space involvement; true cord, false cord and aryepiglottic fold invasion; or subglottic extension in all 15 patients. It was impossible to judge reliably the microscopic invasion of bone or cartilage with this method. Preoperative CT evaluation of carcinoma of the larynx was a reliable method for judging gross tumor size, though decisions regarding conservation surgery cannot be based on CT evaluation alone.