CT Head and Neck: Recognise the Diagnoses You Cannot Miss on Call
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Head and neck CTs are common on call — and they are often uncomfortable territory.
Most radiology training focuses on the brain, the chest, and the abdomen. Head and neck anatomy gets limited exposure. So when a CT neck with contrast comes through at midnight and the question is 'rule out deep space infection,' many residents feel uncertain about where to look and what they are looking for.
This course is in progress and being built from the ground up. We start with the most important clinical scenarios: acute pain and fever presentations — the deep space neck infections, peritonsillar and retropharyngeal abscesses, and dangerous mimics that need a confident read fast.
More cases are being added regularly. The course will expand to cover a broader range of head and neck pathology as it develops.
Who This Course Is For
R1-R3 radiology residents on call who encounter CT neck requests. ENT and emergency medicine trainees who want to understand what the CT is showing and why it matters.
Pathologies include:
Get a taste for some of the pathologies covered in this course.
Deep Space Infections
- ●Including peritonsillar abscess, parapharyngeal abscess, and Lemierre's syndrome
Acute Head & Neck Pathologies
- ●Including acute epiglottitis and calcific tendonitis of the longus colli
Congenital & Developmental Lesions
- ●Including branchial cleft cysts and juvenile nasal angiofibroma
What You'll Learn
- 1Navigate the deep spaces of the neck on CT: recognise normal anatomy before identifying abnormality.
- 2Diagnose the common head and neck infectious emergencies — peritonsillar abscess, deep space neck infection — and identify the imaging features that change management.
- 3Distinguish calcific tendonitis of the longus colli from a true retropharyngeal abscess — a common and consequential diagnostic pitfall.
- 4Recognise Lemierre's syndrome and acute epiglottitis — rare but must-not-miss diagnoses.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ready to start CT Head and Neck?
In support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by Navigating Radiology. Pinnacle Conference, LLC is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.