Background and Objectives:Submucosal spread of hypopharyngeal canceris frequently incriminated for the high incidence of local recurrence after resection. Although mucosal spread is better detected by means of direct visualization, submucosal spread is better evaluated by using cross-sectional imaging rather than endoscopy. This study was designed to evaluate the efficacy of MRI in diagnosing involvement of inferior margin of hypopharyngeal cancer. Materials and Method : Eight patients with hypopharyngeal cancer underwent MRI prior to surgery. And postoperative histopathopogic involvement of tumor was compared with the preoperative MRI axial scan. Results : In preoperative MRI findings, involvement of pyriform sinus apex was 6 cases(definitive 5 cases, probable 1 cases), that of esophageal inlet was 1 case(probable), that of cervical esophagus was 1 case(probable). In postoperative histopathologic findings, the results were same. Conclusion : MRI evaluation for patient with hypopharyngeal cancer ensures accurate staging and provides essential information about the tumor involvement of inferior margin. And there is needed to be thin section thickness in evaluation of inferior margin of hypopharyngeal cancer.