Computed tomography: a mandatory investigational procedure for the T-staging of advanced laryngeal cancer.

Eighteen patients underwent computed tomography (CT) prior to total laryngectomy. In order to assess the accuracy of CT scanning in the evaluation of carcinoma of the larynx, CT scans were prospectively interpreted and the extent of the tumour was recorded. The tumour extent was evaluated on whole-mount histologic sections of the laryngeal specimens, prepared in the horizontal plane, similar to the CT scan. The results were compared to assess the ability of CT to identify tumour infiltration in the horizontal plane accurately. Based on these findings it is clear that CT has its influence on the T-staging and on the choice of treatment of laryngeal cancer, i.e. radiotherapy versus surgery.