Airway obstruction secondary to inflammation of epiglottis & surrounding tissues
IMAGING
– Lateral radiograph
1. Marked thickening of epiglottis
2. Thickening of aryepiglottic folds
– Extend from epiglottis anteriosuperiorly to arytenoid cartilages posteroinferiorly
– Normally thin and convex inferiorly
– May become thickened and convex superiorly
– Swelling of these folds ➜ Actual airway obstruction
– CT does not play routine role in diagnosing epiglottitis
Swollen epiglottis is shown on left image
After treatment the epiglottis’s size is decreased
