Narrow band imaging and autofl uorescence in orofaryngeal carcinoma diagnostics

Despite progress in the treatment of head and neck cancer, the five-year overall survival rate is still low because of late dia­gnosis. The head and neck mucosal tumours were usually dia­gnosed in higher stages in past, therefore new endoscopic optical imaging methods were developed for better and earlier detection of these lesions. They are divided in two main groups – horizontal and vertical methods. The horizontal ones show the surface of the mucous membrane (narrow band imaging, autofluorescence, photodynamic dia­gnosis, magnifying and contact endoscopy). The vertical ones show different layers of the mucosa (optical coherence tomography and confocal endomicroscopy). Narrow band imaging and autofluorescence endoscopy are already used routinely in foreign countries, magnifying and contact endoscopy are getting to practice recently. The authors present a summary of narrow band imaging and autofluorescence endoscopy usage in the dia­gnostics of oropharyngeal carcinoma.