Computed tomography of deep neck infections

We retrospectively reviewed the CT of 11 patients with deep neck infections with a special emphasis on the location and extent of the infection, the presence or absence of a drainable abscess, and, if any, associated complications. CT correctly denoted the location and extent of the space infection, even though the individual layers of the deep cervical fascia per se could not be identified. Infection was most frequent at the transhyoid neck (n = 7) and confined to the suprahyoid and infrahyoid neck in 2 cases, respectively. There were common spaces involved according to etiology. All 3 patients with dental infections of the lower third molar had involvement of the submylohyoid space. In 1 patient with a fishbons injury to the month floor, the infection was found at the submylohyoid space as well as sublingual space. CT clearly pointed out the presence of a drainable abscess in all surgically proved 10 patients, among whom the gas bubbles were seen in 5 patients. In addition, CT demonstrated the significant complications of deep neck infection, and these were mediastinal involvement (n = 2), airway encroachment (n = 2), jugular vein thrombosis (n = 2), and reactive cervical lympnadenopathy (n = 5). We conclude that CT can be used as a principal diagnostic tool in the evaluation of deep neck infections