Ultrasonography for masses of the pharynx and larynx and assessment of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma.

Objective: To evaluate the ultrasonography (US) characteristics of pharyngeal/laryngeal masses and the role of US in the assessment of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC).

Methods: This study enrolled patients who underwent US for evaluation of pharyngeal/laryngeal masses between 2018 and 2021. Characteristics of pharyngeal/laryngeal masses and subsite invasion in cases of LSCC were evaluated using US.

Results: Forty-six patients with pharyngeal (n = 22) /laryngeal (n = 24) masses were enrolled. The pathological results were benign and malignant in 7 (15.2%) and 39 (84.8%) patients, respectively. Malignant masses were significantly associated with US characteristics of heterogeneity (P = 0.002), irregular/speculated margin (P < 0.001), and increased internal vascularity (P = 0.014) compared with benign masses. In patients with LSCC, the detection rate of US for subsites invasion, including that of the anterior commissure, paraglottic space, outer cortex of the thyroid cartilage, cricoid cartilage, and extralaryngeal soft tissue, was similar to that of computed tomography (CT). Although the difference was not statistically significant, US more frequently demonstrated invasion of the inner cortex of the thyroid cartilage than CT (40.9% vs. 22.7%; P = 0.195). US and CT had a concordance rate of 81% (18 of 22 patients) in determining the tumour stage of the lesions.

Conclusion: US could facilitate differentiation between benign and malignant masses of the pharynx and larynx in selective patients and has a possible role in the assessment of LSCC.