The author obtained conventional roentgenograms, conventional linear tomograms and axial transverse tomograms of 36 cases with maxillary cancer and investigated them in order to clarify the significance of the axial transverse tomography in the diagnosis of maxillary cancer. In comparison with the other radiographic techniques, the axial transverse tomography is especially useful in detecting 63
lesions of the anterior and posterior wall of the maxillary sinus, the infratemporal plane, the pterygoid process, the posterior ethmoidal sinus and the sphenoidal sinus. This fact is elucidated by the acctual cases. According to the findings of the axial transverse tomogram, maxillary cancers are classified into 4 types: localized, frontal, posterior and frontal posterior. According to the findings on conventional tomograms, they are classified into 5 types: an upper medial, upper lateral, lower medial, lower lateral and all-directional. There is no correlation between the classification according to the conventional tomography or the axial transverse tomography. In order to realize the extent of a maxillary cancer as accurately as possible, it would be necessary to obtain the findings of both the axial transverse tomograms and the conventional tomograms. Ando, Tokyo