Abstract：Objective: To explore the clinical value of follow-up MR scans after radiotherapy for laryngeal carcinoma. Materials and Methods: To analyze follow-up MR appearances of the larynx in 37 patients of laryngeal cancer with pathological evidences after radiotherapy. Results: Eighteen patients received merely radiotherapy. Seventeen patients received laryngectomy and post-operation radiotherapy 6 to 8 weeks after operation. Two patients received radiotherapy because of recurrent carcinoma two years after operation. MR appearances showed edema with different degree at the sixth week, and extinct at the third to sixth months after radiotherapy. The affected range of tumor also reduced or disappeared gradually. Four patients showed chronic edema after 1 year, 1.5 years, 3 years and 6 years respectively. Recurrent tumors were found in two patients after merely radiotherapy and in five patients after operation and post-operation radiotherapy. One patient showed laryngeal stenosis with infection. Conclusion: Follow-up MR scans can provide reliable images about reactive edema, chronic lymphedema, laryngeal stenosis, improvement of the primary tumors and recurrent laryngeal carcinoma.
2010, Vol. 21 
