Postcricoid region of hypopharynx represents local mucosa and submucosal tissue dorsal to posterior portion of cricoid cartilage; this mucosal surface forms anterior wall of lower hypopharynx
Mucosa extends superiorly from from level of arytenoid cartilages to inferior margin of cricoid
1 of 3 major subsites of hypopharynx that give rise to SCCa: Pyriform sinus, posterior hypopharyngeal wall, and postcricoid region
IMAGING
Normal Anatomy of Postcricoid Region and Lower Hypopharynx
General Features
CT Findings
MR Findings
Imaging Recommendations
Nuclear Medicine Findings
DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS
PATHOLOGY
General Features
Staging, Grading, & Classification
CLINICAL ISSUES
Presentation
Demographics
Natural History & Prognosis
Treatment
DIAGNOSTIC CHECKLIST
Image Interpretation Pearls
Selected References
Cho SJ et al: Comparison of diagnostic performance between CT and MRI for detection of cartilage invasion for primary tumor staging in patients with laryngo-hypopharyngeal cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Eur Radiol. 30(7):3803-12, 2020
Mo X et al: Prognostic value of the radiomics-based model in progression-free survival of hypopharyngeal cancer treated with chemoradiation. Eur Radiol. 30(2):833-43, 2020
Bradley PJ et al: Open-neck organ preservation surgery for hypopharyngeal cancer: indications, techniques, limits, and outcomes. Curr Opin Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 27(2):123-9, 2019
Dworkin JP et al: The role of the modified barium swallow study and esophagram in patients with globus sensation. Dysphagia. 30(5):506-10, 2015
Chen AY et al: Pitfalls in the staging squamous cell carcinoma of the hypopharynx. Neuroimaging Clin N Am. 23(1):67-79, 2013
Keereweer S et al: Chemoradiation for advanced hypopharyngeal carcinoma: a retrospective study on efficacy, morbidity and quality of life. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 269(3):939-46, 2012
Joo YH et al: The impact of paratracheal lymph node metastasis in squamous cell carcinoma of the hypopharynx. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 267(6):945-50, 2010
Hall SF et al: TNM-based stage groupings in head and neck cancer: application in cancer of the hypopharynx. Head Neck. 31(1):1-8, 2009
Kamiyama R et al: Significance of retropharyngeal lymph node dissection in hypopharyngeal cancer. Jpn J Clin Oncol. 39(10):632-7, 2009
Verduijn GM et al: Magnetic resonance imaging protocol optimization for delineation of gross tumor volume in hypopharyngeal and laryngeal tumors. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 74(2):630-6, 2009
Becker M et al: Imaging of the larynx and hypopharynx. Eur J Radiol. 66(3):460-79, 2008
Becker M et al: Neoplastic invasion of laryngeal cartilage: reassessment of criteria for diagnosis at MR imaging. Radiology. 249(2):551-9, 2008
Ng SH et al: Distant metastases and synchronous second primary tumors in patients with newly diagnosed oropharyngeal and hypopharyngeal carcinomas: evaluation of (18)F-FDG PET and extended-field multi-detector row CT. Neuroradiology. 50(11):969-79, 2008
Sesterhenn AM et al: Cancer of the oro- and hypopharynx - when to expect recurrences? Acta Otolaryngol. 128(8):925-9, 2008
Allen AM et al: Retropharyngeal nodes in hypopharynx cancer on positron emission tomography. J Clin Oncol. 25(5):599-601, 2007
Roh JL et al: 2-[18F]-Fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography as guidance for primary treatment in patients with advanced-stage resectable squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx and hypopharynx. Eur J Surg Oncol. 33(6):790-5, 2007
Rumboldt Z et al: Imaging in head and neck cancer. Curr Treat Options Oncol. 7(1):23-34, 2006
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KEY FACTS
Terminology
Imaging
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TERMINOLOGY
Definitions
Postcricoid region of hypopharynx represents local mucosa and submucosal tissue dorsal to posterior portion of cricoid cartilage; this mucosal surface forms anterior wall of lower hypopharynx
Mucosa extends superiorly from from level of arytenoid cartilages to inferior margin of cricoid
1 of 3 major subsites of hypopharynx that give rise to SCCa: Pyriform sinus, posterior hypopharyngeal wall, and postcricoid region
IMAGING
Normal Anatomy of Postcricoid Region and Lower Hypopharynx
General Features
CT Findings
MR Findings
Imaging Recommendations
Nuclear Medicine Findings
DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS
PATHOLOGY
General Features
Staging, Grading, & Classification
CLINICAL ISSUES
Presentation
Demographics
Natural History & Prognosis
Treatment
DIAGNOSTIC CHECKLIST
Image Interpretation Pearls
Selected References
Cho SJ et al: Comparison of diagnostic performance between CT and MRI for detection of cartilage invasion for primary tumor staging in patients with laryngo-hypopharyngeal cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Eur Radiol. 30(7):3803-12, 2020
Mo X et al: Prognostic value of the radiomics-based model in progression-free survival of hypopharyngeal cancer treated with chemoradiation. Eur Radiol. 30(2):833-43, 2020
Bradley PJ et al: Open-neck organ preservation surgery for hypopharyngeal cancer: indications, techniques, limits, and outcomes. Curr Opin Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 27(2):123-9, 2019
Dworkin JP et al: The role of the modified barium swallow study and esophagram in patients with globus sensation. Dysphagia. 30(5):506-10, 2015
Chen AY et al: Pitfalls in the staging squamous cell carcinoma of the hypopharynx. Neuroimaging Clin N Am. 23(1):67-79, 2013
Keereweer S et al: Chemoradiation for advanced hypopharyngeal carcinoma: a retrospective study on efficacy, morbidity and quality of life. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 269(3):939-46, 2012
Joo YH et al: The impact of paratracheal lymph node metastasis in squamous cell carcinoma of the hypopharynx. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 267(6):945-50, 2010
Hall SF et al: TNM-based stage groupings in head and neck cancer: application in cancer of the hypopharynx. Head Neck. 31(1):1-8, 2009
Kamiyama R et al: Significance of retropharyngeal lymph node dissection in hypopharyngeal cancer. Jpn J Clin Oncol. 39(10):632-7, 2009
Verduijn GM et al: Magnetic resonance imaging protocol optimization for delineation of gross tumor volume in hypopharyngeal and laryngeal tumors. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 74(2):630-6, 2009
Becker M et al: Imaging of the larynx and hypopharynx. Eur J Radiol. 66(3):460-79, 2008
Becker M et al: Neoplastic invasion of laryngeal cartilage: reassessment of criteria for diagnosis at MR imaging. Radiology. 249(2):551-9, 2008
Ng SH et al: Distant metastases and synchronous second primary tumors in patients with newly diagnosed oropharyngeal and hypopharyngeal carcinomas: evaluation of (18)F-FDG PET and extended-field multi-detector row CT. Neuroradiology. 50(11):969-79, 2008
Sesterhenn AM et al: Cancer of the oro- and hypopharynx - when to expect recurrences? Acta Otolaryngol. 128(8):925-9, 2008
Allen AM et al: Retropharyngeal nodes in hypopharynx cancer on positron emission tomography. J Clin Oncol. 25(5):599-601, 2007
Roh JL et al: 2-[18F]-Fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography as guidance for primary treatment in patients with advanced-stage resectable squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx and hypopharynx. Eur J Surg Oncol. 33(6):790-5, 2007
Rumboldt Z et al: Imaging in head and neck cancer. Curr Treat Options Oncol. 7(1):23-34, 2006
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