Abstract
This study aimed to define the normal position of the oesophagus and
the appearance of the postcricoid region. oesophageal verge and upper
oesophageal region at CT and MR imaging. It was conducted on 55
consecutive (Cl? scans of the neck individual patients (30 males and 25
females) with age range 18- 65 years. MR images were in the transverse
plane with T1 pulse sequence. Patients who have dysphagia. clinical or
imaging finding suggestive of pharyngeal or oesophageal abnormalities or
history and signs of head or neck malignancy were excluded. The
location of the oesophagus and the appearance of the postcricoid region.
oesophageal verge, upper oesophageal region and the visiblity of the fat
planes at CT and MR imaging were determined.
The oesophagas was Located centrally in 49 cases (89.1%) at CT
versus 40 cases (77.7%) at MR imaging, at the oesophageal verge. Just
below the oesophageal verge, the oesophagas typically coursed to the left
side in all cases except in 4 cases (7.3%) at both CT and MR imaging,
where it is shifted to the right.
The entire thickness of the muscular wall in the postcricoid region
varied little through its cephalocouldal extent, but at the oesophageal
verge, there was an a brupt change. then the cervical oesophagus
showed little change at 1 cm and 2 cm below the oesophageal verge.
The visibility of the intramural fat planes. is diminished cauda/y in the
postcricoid region with slightly higher rate in CT than in MRS. Also, the fat
planes around the postericoid region were visible more frequent on both
right and left sides than the posterior one, and more frequent on the CT |
