Tissue Contrast Differentiation between Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Tumors and Adjacent Tissues in Early and Late Phases by Multi-Slice CT Scan

Background: Malignancies of head and neck are common cancers responsible for 6 percent of all malignancies. Use of multi-slice CT scan has led to shorter time of scan with optimal capacity in constant time. This study aimed to evaluate the tissue contrast differentiation between head and neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma tumors and adjacent muscle tissue in early and late phases by multi-slice CT scan. Methods and Materials: In this cross-sectional study, 76 patients with head and neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma referred to us in imaging center of Tehran Amir A'lam hospital in 2014-5015. Multi-slice CT scan were conducted at early time (20 seconds) and 180 and 300 seconds after contrast media injection. Then, Hounsfield score of affected tissue and nearest muscle was measured. Δ density was defined as the contrast between tumor density and nearest muscle density. Results: The mean of tumor density at early phase, late phase (180s) and (300s) was 75/76 ± 21/08, 75/26 ± 12/96 and 74/14 ± 12/57, respectively (P>0.05). Conversely, the muscle density significantly was lower in early phase compare to late phase (65/31 ± 11/65 vs. 69/06 ± 12/23 and 69/82 ± 10/69, P<0.001). Our results also showed that Δ density was decreased in late phases, however, this reduction was not statistically significant (P=0.08). Conclusion: Results indicated that multi-slice CT scan may have good tissue contrast differentiation ability between head and neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma tumors and adjacent muscle tissues in early phases after contrast media injection.