Objective:
to assess the prevalence of abnormalities found by computed tomography (CT) of the chest in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.
Methods:
we retrospectively analyzed chest CT exams of 209 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. The CT findings were stratified as inflammatory / infectious, parenchymal, nodular uncharacteristic and nodular metastatic / tumoral
Results:
alterations were diagnosed in 66.6% of patients. Of these, 25.3% represented emphysema; 18.8%, uncharacteristic micronodules; 12.9%, metastases; 11.9%, thoracic lymph node enlargements; and in 6.6% we detected active pulmonary tuberculosis or its sequelae, pneumonia or inflammatory / infectious signs and pleural thickening or effusion.
Conclusion:
the prevalence of exams with alterations and the considerable rate of detected metastases indicate that chest CT should be required for diagnostic and / or staging in cases of head and neck cancer.
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell; Head and Neck Neoplasms; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Neoplasm Staging; Mass Screening
