History
42-year old male emergency room with fever and with neck pain. Evaluate for possible complicated pharyngitis, retropharyngeal or epidural abscess.
Exam
Contrast-enhanced CT of the maxillofacial region and neck and related anatomy with images obtained in the balanced or venous vascular phase to ensure optimal visualization of both arterial and venous structures as well as possible reactive changes around infected collections. 0.5-3.0 mm thick sections were obtained in the axial plane and reformatted 3D and/or in the coronal and sagittal planes and viewed inter actively in 3 dimensions at the computer work station.
Impression
The patient’s symptoms appear to be caused by prevertebral musculo-tendinitis. Based on these imaging findings, the left longus colli muscle is the most likely muscle group that is inflamed. An MRI could be done for further confirmation of this diagnosis.
Recommendations
The emergency medical service was called at the time of completion of the study because of their concern about possible retropharyngeal abscess or epidural abscess and informed that the patient’s symptoms were due to a relatively benign disease process.