5. Anatomy
The neck is the part of the human body, that separates the head from
the torso or is the part of the human body that attaches the head to the
rest of the body.
It contains blood vessels and nerves that supply structures in the head
to the body.
Neck extends from anteriorly located cervix to the posteriorly located
nucha.
Nucha consists of vertebral column and its associated musculature.
Cervix (simply neck is a cylinder of soft tissue whose superior extent
is line connecting the occiput and tip of the chin and its inferior extent
parallels the course of the first rib at the thoracic inlet.
6. Anatomy
For imaging purposes, the boundaries of the neck are
mandible and the mylohyoid muscles- anterosuperiorly
the base of the skull- posterosuperiorly
the scapulae- posteroinferiorly
the thoracic inlet- centrally in the inferior aspect.
9. Anatomy
The neck is divided into six triangles.
The Sternocleidomastiod (SCM) muscle divides the
neck into
large anterior triangle
large posterior triangle.
10. The anterior triangle is further divided by both bellies of the digastric muscle and the superior belly of
omohyoid muscle into four triangles :
Submental triangle
Submandibular
triangle
Carotid triangle Muscular triangle
Boundaries Superiorly: the chin
Laterally: the two anterior
bellies of the diagastric
muscle
Medially: the mid-line
The bellies of the
diagastric muscles and
the mandible
Superiorly: the posterior
belly of the diagastric
muscle
Laterally: the anterior
border of the
Sternocleidomastiod
muscle
Medially: the superior
belly of the omohyoid
muscle
The superior belly of the
omohyoid muscle and
the sternohyoid muscle
Contents The submental lymph nodes The Submandibular
salivary glands and
Submandibular lymph
nodes
The carotid artery, the
internal jugular vein,
the vagus nerve and the
internal and external
laryngeal nerves
The deep structures
including the larynx,
trachea, thyroid and the
oesophagus
11. The posterior triangle is further divided by the inferior belly of the omohyoid muscle into two triangles:
Occipital triangle
the larger subdivision of the posterior
triangle
Supraclavicular triangle
the smaller subdivision of the
posterior triangle
Boundaries Anteriorly:
the Sternocleidomastoid muscle
Posteriorly: the Trapezius muscle
Inferiorly: the Omohyoid muscle
Anteriorly: the posterior border of
the Sternocleidomastoid
Superiorly: the inferior belly of the
Omohyoid muscle
Inferiorly: the clavicle
Contents Most lumps arising from the posterior triangle are due to enlarged occipital or
Supraclavicular lymph nodes.
Other important structures include the subclavian artery, the external jugular vein, the
accessory nerve, the phrenic nerve and parts of the brachial plexus.
12.
13. Spaces of neck
The ‘neck space’ concept is a commonly used
method in radiology in organizing the neck and
establishing appropriate differential diagnosis for
pathology discovered within a specific space of the
neck.
These spaces may limit to some degree the spread
of most infections and some tumors.
14. Spaces of neck
These spaces are described in relation to the hyoid
bone.
• Suprahyoid Spaces.
• Infrahyoid Spaces.
• Spaces extending up to the entire length of the neck
23. Nodes of neck
Cervical nodes are classified into seven groups, each designated by
a
roman numeral as follows:
Level I: Submandibular and submental lymph nodes.
Level LI: Internal jugular chain from the skull base to the
level of the carotid bifurcation.
Level 111: Internal jugular chain from the level of the carotid
bifurcation to the level of the intersection of the chain with the
omohyoid muscle.
Level IV: Infraomohyoid portion of the internal jugular chain.
Level V: Posterior triangle lymph nodes.
Level VI: Nodes related to the thyroid gland.
Level VII: Nodes in the tracheoesophageal groove and superior
mediastinum.
24.
25.
26. Imaging modalities
CT
MRI
US
Plain X ray and conventional studies
Isotope scan
Angiography
27. Indications
Inflammatory, nodal and tumoral diseases including
lymphoma and metastases.
Thyroid diseases
Pharyngeal lesions
Salivary glands pathologies
Detection /confirmation of lesions
Follow-ups
Trauma
29. Patient Preparation
Clear history should be taken along with reports of
previous investigations.
Pregnancy needs to be ruled out.
Radiopaque materials should be removed from FOV.
Proper information and instruction about the
procedure.
NPO for 4-5 hours prior to procedure for CECT
30. Patient Preparation
Blood Creatinine levels should be in its normal limit
(M=0.6 to 1.5,F=0.5-1.2 mg/dl) and Blood urea level
should range between 9 to 42 mg/dl
Signed informed consent from patient or his/her
close relatives.
Irritable/uncooperative and Pediatric patients
should be sedated.
Neck should be in neutral position.
The patient should be instructed to avoid
swallowing movements.
31. Routine Neck protocol
Patient positioning
Head first, supine with arms by the sides of the trunk with
hands tucked under the hips.
Head rest/support can be applied to restrict the neck
movement.
Topogram position/Landmark
lateral; level of forehead
32. Routine Neck protocol
Mode of scanning
Helical with single breath-hold technique
Scan orientation
Cranio-caudal
Starting location
Base of the skull
End location
Arch of the aorta
Cranio-caudal orientation reduces artifacts at the level of the
thoracic inlet caused by the beam-hardening effects of the
contrast agent.
FOV
Just fitting the ROI.
33. Routine Neck protocol
Gantry tilt
To make the plane of the scanning parallel to the hard palate or
perpendicular to the plane of larynx.
Contrast administration
Intravenous and monophasic
Volume of contrast
80-100 ml
Rate of injection of contrast
2-3 ml/sec
Scan delay
30-40 sec
34. Routine Neck protocol
Slice thickness in reconstruction
3-5 mm
Slice interval in reconstruction
1.5-2.5 mm
Reconstruction algorithm/kernel
Medium smooth for soft tissue.
Sharp for cartilage, bone and lung parenchyma in the scan
range.
3D-Reconstructions
MPR
MIP
35. Comments
Unless contraindicated , IV contrast media is used
when scanning the neck.
The goals in CT scanning of the neck are to allow
sufficient time after contrast administration for
mucosa , lymph nodes , and pathology tissue to
enhance , yet acquire images while the vasculature
remains opacified .
Scanning too early after the contrast media injection
could result in certain types of neoclassic and
inflammatory processes going undetected .
36. Cont…
However, by delaying scan acquisition , the injected
contrast agent will no longer opacify the vasculature .
One strategy for addressing these contradictory goals
is a split bolus .
The total contrast dose is split , often in half .
The first dose is given and a delay of about 2 minutes
is observed .
This allows time for structures that are slower to
enhance to be opacified.
37. Cont…
This allows time for structures that are slower to
enhance to be opacified.
The delay is followed by a second bolus containing
the remainder of the contrast ; scanning is initiated
soon after the second injection to more fully opacify
the vessels .
The split bolus injection technique is also frequently
used for maxillofacial studies in which contrast
media is indicated .
38. Protocol for Larynx and Hypopharynx
Over 90% of all masses in the region of hypopharynx
and larynx are squamous cell carcinoma.
Tumors of hypopharynx most often arises in the
pyriform sinus.
39. Protocol for Larynx and Hypopharynx
Indications
Screening for inflammatory or mass/tumoral diseases of the
larynx and hypopharynx.
Traumatic lesion.
Preoperative baseline scan
Post-surgery or post-chemotherapy follow-ups.
Patient positioning
Head first, supine with arms by the sides of the trunk with
hands tucked under the hips.
Head rest/support can be applied to restrict the neck
movement.
40. Protocol for Larynx and Hypopharynx
Topogram position/Landmark
lateral; level of forehead
Mode of scanning
Helical with single breath-hold technique
Scan orientation
Cranio-caudal
Starting location
Base of the skull
End location
Arch of the aorta
FOV
Just fitting the ROI.
41. Protocol for Larynx and Hypopharynx
Gantry tilt
To make the plane of the scanning parallel to the hard palate or
perpendicular to the plane of larynx.
Contrast administration
Intravenous , monophasic
Volume of contrast
80-100 ml
Rate of injection of contrast
2-3 ml/sec
Scan delay
30-40 sec
42. Protocol for Larynx and Hypopharynx
Slice thickness in reconstruction
3-5 mm
Slice interval in reconstruction
1.5-2.5 mm
Reconstruction algorithm/kernel
Medium smooth for soft tissue.
Sharp for cartilage, bone and lung parenchyma in the scan range.
3D-Reconstructions
MPR
MIP
Virtual endoscopy
Dynamic manouvers (in MDCT)
e phonation (for a better visualization of the laryngeal ventricle)
modified Valsalva-cheeks puffed with a gradual escape of air
(for a better visualization/dilation of the pyriform sinuses).
43. Protocol for nasopharynx, oropharynx and
oral cavity
Indication
Staging of malignant tumors.
Suspected arrosion of the skull base, the hard palate
or the mandible.
Parapharyngeal masses, inflammatory processes
such as para or retropharyngeal abscess.
Detection and differentiation of benign lesions.
44. Protocol for nasopharynx, oropharynx and oral
cavity
Patient preparation
Remove dental prosthesis, etc
Instruct the patient to perform quite breathing and
not to swallow.
45. Protocol for nasopharynx, oropharynx and oral
cavity
A. Topogram covering the entire pharynx and neck
B. Topogram showing two spirals avoiding dental
artifacts (possible with 4 row scanner)
46. Scan Parameters 16 slice scanner
Scanner settings
Tube voltage (kv) 120
Rotation time (s) 0.75-1
Tube current time product(mAs) 180
Pitch corrected tube current time product
(eff.mAs)
140-230
Collimation (mm) 1.25/1.5
Normal pitch 1-1.3
Recon. – slice increment(mm) 2-3 For recon .- 1
Recon. – slice thickness(mm) 3 For recon .- 1.5-2
Convolution kernel Standard and bone
Scan direction Caudocranial
CM application Yes
Conc. Of CM (mg I / ml) 300
Volume (ml) 100
Inj. Rate (ml/s) 1.5-2.0
Saline chaser (ml/s) No
Delay (s) 55 (fixed)
47. Cont…
Regarding bony erosions ct is regarded to be
superior to MRI , but regarding perineural tumor
spread through skull base foramina and/or Dural
infiltration MRI (lateral infiltration of the
Parapharyngeal fat space) is superior to CT.
Thus a combination of both , CT and MRI , is
necessary.
48. CT Carotid Angiography
Indications
Suspected occlusion of the carotid arteries, their aneurisms,
dissections.
Preoperatively for head /neck tumors to detect the origin of
their feeding vessels for the purpose of ligation.
Patient positioning
Head first, supine with arms by the sides of the trunk with
hands tucked under the hips.
Head rest/support can be applied to restrict the neck
movement.
49. CT Carotid Angiography
Topogram position/Landmark
lateral; level of forehead
Mode of scanning
Helical with single breath-hold technique
Scan orientation
Caudo-Cranial
Starting location
Arch of the aorta
End location
2-3 cm above the sella
FOV
Just fitting the ROI.
50. CT Carotid Angiography
Gantry tilt
Nil
Contrast administration
Intravenous , monophasic
Volume of contrast
100-120 ml
Rate of injection of contrast
4-5 ml/sec
Scan delay
10-15 sec
51. CT Carotid Angiography
Slice thickness in reconstruction
1.0-1.5 mm
Slice interval in reconstruction
0.5-0.75 mm
Reconstruction algorithm/kernel
smooth
3D-Reconstructions
MIP
VRT (preferably after bone subtraction)
52. Advantages of MRI over CT
• Multiplanar capability
• Lack of ionizing radiation
• Safer contrast agents
• Better imaging of soft tissues of neck
Advantages of CT over MRI
• Superior assessment of osseous integrity
• Shorter examination time
• Wider patient access
• Lower cost
53. Limitations of CT
It is an expensive technique.
Very high density restorations as dental restorations
produce severe artifacts on the CT scan.
High dose of radiation.
There is an inherent risk with the use of contrast
media.
54. References
CT and MRI protocol- a practical approach, Satish K
Bhargava.
CT and MRI of whole body, Fifth edition, Johan R.
Hagga.
Protocols for multislice CT, 2nd edition.
Internet sources