"Patients with cricoid chondronecrosis typically present with structural failure of the larynx leading to respiratory distress due to airway obstruction. Particularly in the setting of radiation therapy, other associated clinical features may also be present, including severe odynophagia, fistula formation, and other post-radiation therapy changes 1-3."
"PET is useful in identifying tumour recurrence from post-radiation therapy changes 2. Nonetheless, biopsies are frequently required as small-volume disease may not be visible on PET and false positives may also occur 2."
"When seen in the context of radiation therapy, the term chondroradionecrosis may be used 1,2."
"The development of improved radiation therapy delivery (e.g., intensity-modulated and fractionated techniques) has reduced the incidence, as has the use of laryngeal masks (rather than endotracheal tubes) in at-risk patients 1."
Expected headings
"PET"
"When cricoid chondronecrosis is encountered in the setting of endotracheal intubation without prior radiotherapy, the period of intubation is typically prolonged, or multiple sequential intubations occur, particularly in the setting of diabetes mellitus, vascular disease, chronic steroid use, and any immunocompromised state 4,5."
"laryngeal soft tissue swelling, oedema and airway stenosis"