Evaluation of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma After Treatment

Axial contrast-enhanced CT demonstrates a myocutaneous fat flap (white arrow) used for reconstruction following resection of a squamous cell carcinoma of the floor of mouth. The black arrow identifies a minimally enhancing focal soft tissue mass along the deep margin of the flap. Biopsy revealed recurrent tumor.

Fig 2. Fifty-year old man with a left retromolar trigone carcinoma who was treated with combined chemotherapy and radiation therapy as part of a non-surgical organ preservation program.

A, Axial contrast-enhanced CT shows an aggressive soft tissue mass involving the left retromolar trigone (arrowheads). The tumor erodes the anterior aspect of the left mandibular ramus (arrow), which shows progression of the tumor stage to T4.

B, The patient was treated with combined chemotherapy and radiation therapy. CT performed 5 months after the completion of therapy demonstrates an indeterminate minimally enhancing soft tissue mass in the left retromolar trigone. (arrowheads)

C, Axial image from an FDG study demonstrates increased uptake in the treated tumor bed (arrowhead) that was highly suspicious for recurrent tumor. Biopsy revealed squamous cell carcinoma.