Systematic review of the diagnostic value of laryngeal stroboscopy in excluding early glottic carcinoma

Diagnostic Assessment (Imaging) and Staging of Laryngeal Cancer

Diagnosis of larynx cancer relies on a detailed history and physical and objective assessment with endoscopy and imaging. Endoscopy is needed to assess for vocal fold function that directly affects staging. Computed tomography and MRI can be used to assess for tumor extent in relation to intra- and extra-laryngeal structures, especially paraglottic and pre-epiglottic space involvement as well as cartilage invasion. Accurate staging is critical for subsequent treatment decision-making regarding larynx preservation.

Dysplastic Lesions of the Larynx

There have been many advancements in the clinical and histologic diagnosis of laryngeal dysplasia (LD), but diagnosis still necessitates invasive histologic evaluation. Furthermore, despite improved histologic identification of dysplastic lesions, the exact details of pathophysiologic progression and the risk of malignant transformation is still uncertain. These unknowns create a barrier to establishing an ideal grading and classification system, which prevents the establishment of a precise and consistent treatment paradigm. Identifying these gaps in knowledge serves to highlight where further studies are warranted, ideally focusing on a better understanding of the biological behavior of LD. This would ultimately allow for the creation of a reliable grading and classification system and for the formalization of management and treatment guidelines for LD.

Sub-millisecond 2D MRI of the vocal fold oscillation using single-point imaging with rapid encoding

OBJECTIVE

The slow spatial encoding of MRI has precluded its application to rapid physiologic motion in the past. The purpose of this study is to introduce a new fast acquisition method and to demonstrate feasibility of encoding rapid two-dimensional motion of human vocal folds with sub-millisecond resolution.

METHOD

In our previous work, we achieved high temporal resolution by applying a rapidly switched phase encoding gradient along the direction of motion. In this work, we extend phase encoding to the second image direction by using single-point imaging with rapid encoding (SPIRE) to image the two-dimensional vocal fold oscillation in the coronal view. Image data were gated using electroglottography (EGG) and motion corrected. An iterative reconstruction with a total variation (TV) constraint was used and the sequence was also simulated using a motion phantom.

RESULTS

Dynamic images of the vocal folds during phonation at pitches of 150 and 165 Hz were acquired in two volunteers and the periodic motion of the vocal folds at a temporal resolution of about 600 µs was shown. The simulations emphasize the necessity of SPIRE for two-dimensional motion encoding.

DISCUSSION

SPIRE is a new MRI method to image rapidly oscillating structures and for the first time provides dynamic images of the vocal folds oscillations in the coronal plane.

The Efficiency of (videolaryngo)stroboscopy in Detecting T1a Glottic Carcinoma and Its Preliminary Stages

OBJECTIVE

The efficiency of laryngovideostroboscopy (LVS) in detecting premalignancies of the vocal fold and early glottic cancer was determined in a prospective monocentric study. In addition, the recovery rate of the mucosal membrane on the vocal fold after surgical intervention was determined by LVS.

METHODS

We included 159 patients with a leukoplakia of the vocal folds and 50 healthy controls. Clinicopathological data and LVS characteristics (amplitude, mucosal wave, nonvibratory segment, glottic closure, phase symmetry, periodicity) at the lesion site were obtained and compared with the histopathological results. LVS parameters were recorded before cordectomy and in a 12-month follow-up interval. Patients who had prior laryngosurgery, radiotherapy, or laryngeal scarring were excluded.

RESULTS

Absent or greatly reduced mucosal waves were found in all patients with an invasive carcinoma, in 94% with a severe intraepithelial neoplasia (SIN III), in 38% with a moderate squamous intraepithelial neoplasia (SIN II), in 32% with a mild squamous intraepithelial neoplasia (SIN I), and in 23% with a hyperkeratosis without dysplasia. The sensitivity and specificity of LVS in predicting an invasive carcinoma based on the absence or reduction of mucosal waves was 0.96 and 0.90, respectively. Following surgical intervention, the recovery rate of the mucosal wave and amplitude was 12% in the invasive carcinoma group, 36% in the SIN III group and up to 80% for both these parameters in the SIN I, SIN II, and hyperkeratosis groups.

CONCLUSION

LVS is a valid tool to identify early glottic carcinoma and its high risk premalignancy carcinoma in situ (CIS). Even when there is no definitive differentiation between SIN I and II, the invasive character of a CIS and an invasive glottic carcinoma can be identified. Especially strobosopic signs of abnormal amplitude and/or mucosal waves, particularly phoniatric halt, are an early indication for a CIS or an invasive carcinoma.

European Laryngological Society position paper on laryngeal dysplasia Part II: diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

To give an overview of the current knowledge regarding the diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of laryngeal dysplasia (LD) and to highlight the contributions of recent literature. The diagnosis of LD largely relies on endoscopic procedures and on histopathology. Diagnostic efficiency of endoscopy may be improved using videolaryngostroboscopy (VLS) and bioendoscopic tools such as Narrow Band Imaging (NBI) or Storz Professional Image Enhancement System (SPIES). Current histological classifications are not powerful enough to clearly predict the risk to carcinoma evolution and technical issues such as sampling error, variation in epithelial thickness and inflammation hamper pathological examination. Almost all dysplasia grading systems are effective in different ways. The 2017 World Health Organization (WHO) system should prove to be an improvement as it is slightly more reproducible and easier for the non-specialist pathologist to apply. To optimize treatment decisions, surgeons should know how their pathologist grades samples and preferably audit their transformation rates locally. Whether carcinoma in situ should be used as part of such classification remains contentious and pathologists should agree with their clinicians whether they find this additional grade useful in treatment decisions. Recently, different studies have defined the possible utility of different biomarkers in risk classification. The main treatment modality for LD is represented by transoral laser microsurgery. Radiotherapy may be indicated in specific circumstances such as multiple recurrence or wide-field lesions. Medical treatment currently does not have a significant role in the management of LD. Follow-up for patients treated with LD is a fundamental part of their care and investigations may be supported by the same techniques used during diagnosis (VLS and NBI/SPIES).

Value of pre- and intraoperative diagnostic methods in suspected glottic neoplasia

PURPOSE

To evaluate the individual and combined ability of videostroboscopy (VS), high-speed digital imaging (HSDI), enhanced endoscopy (EE) and saline infusion (SI) to predict neoplasia, defined as glottic precursor lesion (GPL) or T1a glottic cancer, in patients suspected for glottic neoplasia.

METHODS

A nationwide prospective cohort study of patients treated by cordectomy for suspected GPL or T1a glottic cancer from August 1st 2016 to October 31st 2018 was conducted in the five Danish University Departments of Head and Neck surgery. Sensitivity, specificity, negative and positive predictive values, and area under Receiver Operating Curves (AUC-ROC) were calculated with 95% confidence intervals with respect to the histological diagnosis. Logistic regression with an imputation model for missing data was applied.

RESULTS

261 patients aged 34-91 years participated; 79 (30.3%) with non-neoplasia (i.e., inflammation, papilloma, hyperkeratosis) and 182 (69.7%) neoplasia, hereof 95 (36.4%) with GPL and 87 (33.3%) with T1a glottic cancer. Data from 188 VS, 60 HSDI, 100 preoperative EE, 209 intraoperative EE, and 234 SI were analyzed. In the complete case analysis the AUC-ROC of each diagnostic test was low, but increased when the tests were combined and especially if the combination included EE. However, multinomial logistic regression with imputation showed significant association (p < 0.05) only between age, male gender, and perpendicular vasculature in intraoperative EE, and the endpoint neoplasia.

CONCLUSIONS

Intraoperative EE was the most accurate diagnostic method in detecting neoplasia. The prediction ability of methods applied preoperatively was more limited, but improved when test modalities were combined.