CT Report - How to interpret.

jenjenl

I recently moved to Charleston, SC after reaching 3 years...now marching onto 4. I met with my new oncology team last week and my doctor ordered scans for back and neck/throat pain. The bone and chest scan came back clear, awesome! The neck scan mentioned the following:

"There is a 3 mm pocket of gas in the right ventral hypopharyngeal soft tissue. This is consistent with a small laryngocele probably tracing upward. Some authors advocate laryngoscopy when such a finding is encountered as an association with malignancy exists. Probably not significant but ENT consultation recommended."

ENT scheduled for Tuesday. I would have thought that the CT would be able to tell if it's malignant from the contrast? Thoughts?

ChiSandy

CT scans can identify suspicious areas, but only biopsy can confirm or rule out malignancy or abscess. The only exception is if the anomaly has shrunk or disappeared on subsequent scans. Might be a good idea to have your vocal cords (more properly, vocal “folds") ‘scoped. (Some ENTs use a solid scope, going in orally that usually requires a squirt of anesthetic spray, some use a flexible one through the nose. I’ve had it done both ways. Both procedures are brief & painless--but if anything is visualized that requires biopsy, it can be done right then & there in the exam room).