MR Imaging of the Normal Larynx

Magnetic resonance imaging of the larynx was performed on 15 volunteers. Searching for optimal images in the sagittal, frontal, and transverse planes, we compared images made with a special surface coil and the standard head coil, images with different slice thicknesses, images with different repetition times (TR) and images with different matrices. The field of view and the scan times were kept as small as possible. Using a surface coil, we obtained high resolution images in all three planes. These images provide clinically relevant information, not shown by current radiological techniques: hyoepiglottic ligament, thyrohyoid ligament, thyroepiglottic ligament and cricothyroid ligament, the borders between the preepiglottic space and both paraglottic spaces (PGS), the borders between both PGS and thyroid cartilage, and the vocalis and thyroarytenoid muscles. Short TR is preferred because, with shorter scan time, more measurements could be made. Images with a 128 X 128 matrix size had a much better signal-to-noise ratio than images with a 256 X 256 matrix size. Magnetic resonance has great potential in imaging normal and pathological anatomy of the larynx.