Accurate assessment of tumour extent and lymph node involvement in squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck region is essential for therapy planning. Unfortunately, conventional diagnostic examination and imaging techniques, which monitor tumours on the basis of anatomical parameters, have drawbacks in clinical practice. The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of L-[1-(11)C]-tyrosine (TYR) positron emission tomography (PET) for visualisation of squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx and hypopharynx and quantification of tumour activity by assessment of protein synthesis rate (PSR). Dynamic TYR PET was performed on 31 patients with T1-T4 laryngeal or hypopharyngeal carcinoma before therapy. Plasma activity of TYR, (11)CO(2) and (11)C-protein levels were measured, and PSRs were calculated for primary malignancies. All 31 laryngeal and hypopharyngeal tumours were visualised as a hotspot (sensitivity 100%). The median PSR of the tumours (2.06 nmol ml(-1) min(-1); range 0.72-6.96) was significantly higher ( P<0.001) than that of non-tumour (background) tissue (0.51 nmol ml(-1) min(-1); range 0.22-0.89). L-[1-(11)C]-Tyrosine PET appears to be a potential method for visualisation of primary laryngeal and hypopharyngeal tumours. In vivo quantification of tumour activity by assessment of PSR is possible and may have a future role in the therapy planning and therapy evaluation of laryngeal and hypopharyngeal tumours.