Arens C, Eistert B, Glanz H, Waas W
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Justus Liebig University of Giessen, Germany.
Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 1998;255(5):250-5. doi: 10.1007/s004050050052.
High-frequency ultrasound can provide high-resolution imaging for diagnosing diseases of the head and neck. Over the last few years, a virtual technical evolution has led to the development of small and flexible ultrasound transducers with even greater anatomic resolution. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy of this new technique for imaging normal and altered anatomical structures of the endolarynx. Specially developed high-resolution, real-time ultrasound transducers (10 and 20 MHz) placed on the tip of endoluminal catheters were inserted into 20 autopsied larynges and five laryngectomy specimens. In a standardized examination process the endolarynx was analyzed in a real-time mode. Using this technique, exact 360 degrees cross sections of the larynx were obtained, demonstrating that it was possible to image the structures of the endolarynx with ultrasonography. Depending on the frequency used, all anatomical structures could be visualized up to a depth of 2 cm. In laryngeal cancer the depth of tumor as well as its relationship to the laryngeal framework could be clearly recognized. These findings suggest that this new endoluminal sonographic procedure represents a potentially important diagnostic tool in the assessment of laryngeal carcinoma.
高频超声可为头颈部疾病的诊断提供高分辨率成像。在过去几年中，一项虚拟技术革新促使了具有更高解剖分辨率的小型灵活超声换能器的发展。本研究的目的是评估这项新技术对成像喉内正常和改变的解剖结构的有效性。将专门研制的高分辨率实时超声换能器（10兆赫和20兆赫）置于腔内导管尖端，插入20个经尸检的喉部和5个喉切除标本中。在标准化检查过程中，以实时模式对喉内进行分析。使用该技术获得了喉部精确的360度横截面，表明用超声成像喉内结构是可行的。根据所使用的频率，所有解剖结构在深度达2厘米处均可可视化。在喉癌中，肿瘤深度及其与喉支架的关系能够被清晰识别。这些发现表明，这种新的腔内超声检查方法在评估喉癌方面代表了一种潜在的重要诊断工具。
