Head and neck imaging

Squamous cell carcinoma, the most common cancer of the head and neck, is often used synonymously with the phrase head and neck cancer. Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma is associated with a multitude of risk factors. The head and neck region are characterized by complex anatomy, and imaging plays a vital role in the evaluation of head and neck malignancies, including detecting the primary tumor in patients presenting with metastatic cervical lymphadenopathy, assessing treatment response, and differentiating posttreatment changes from recurrences. Studies have shown that PET/MRI, with few exceptions, is noninferior to PET/CT in evaluating head and neck cancer, and is often advantageous, due to its superior soft tissue contrast and less patient exposure to ionizing radiation.