Nasopharyngeal carcinoma CT

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Homa Najafi, M.D.[2]Faizan Sheraz, M.D. [3]

CT scan may be helpful in the diagnosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma and it’s metastasis to the lymph nodes, intracranial space, bone, chest, and liver. Findings on CT scan suggestive of nasopharyngeal carcinoma include soft tissue masses which most commonly centred at the lateral nasopharyngeal recess (fossa of Rosenmüller) and heterogeneous enhancement ofthe tumor in the CT scan with contrast.

CT scan may be helpful in the diagnosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma and it’s invasion. CT scan can be useful in:^{[1][2][3][4][5][6][7]}

• Diagnosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma in CT scan (with and without contrast), the characteristics are:
  • Soft tissue masses which most commonly centred at the lateral nasopharyngeal recess (fossa of Rosenmüller)
  • Heterogenous enhancement of the tumor in the CT scan with contrast
• Detection of cervical lymph nodes involvement
• Detection of intracranial involvement
• Diagnosis of bone metastasis, by detection of lytic or sclerotic lesions,the most common metastatic regions are:
  • Eustachian tube
  • Base of skull
  • Foramen lacerum
  • Foramen ovale
  • Cavernous sinus
  • Temporal bone
• Detection of the metastasis to chest and liver

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