Skip to main content
Advertisement

Main menu

  • Home
  • Content
    • Current Issue
    • Publication Preview--Ahead of Print
    • Past Issue Archive
    • Case of the Week Archive
    • Classic Case Archive
    • Case of the Month Archive
  • For Authors
  • About Us
    • About AJNR
    • Editors
    • American Society of Neuroradiology
  • Submit a Manuscript
  • Podcasts
    • Subscribe on iTunes
    • Subscribe on Stitcher
  • More
    • Subscribers
    • Permissions
    • Advertisers
    • Alerts
    • Feedback
  • Other Publications
    • ajnr

User menu

  • Subscribe
  • Alerts
  • Log in

Search

  • Advanced search
American Journal of Neuroradiology
American Journal of Neuroradiology

American Journal of Neuroradiology

  • Subscribe
  • Alerts
  • Log in

Advanced Search

  • Home
  • Content
    • Current Issue
    • Publication Preview--Ahead of Print
    • Past Issue Archive
    • Case of the Week Archive
    • Classic Case Archive
    • Case of the Month Archive
  • For Authors
  • About Us
    • About AJNR
    • Editors
    • American Society of Neuroradiology
  • Submit a Manuscript
  • Podcasts
    • Subscribe on iTunes
    • Subscribe on Stitcher
  • More
    • Subscribers
    • Permissions
    • Advertisers
    • Alerts
    • Feedback
  • Follow AJNR on Twitter
  • Visit AJNR on Facebook
  • Follow AJNR on Instagram
  • Join AJNR on LinkedIn
  • RSS Feeds
Research ArticleArticles

CT of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma: Significance of Widening of the Preoccipital Soft Tissue on Axial Scans

John Hoe
American Journal of Neuroradiology July 1989, 10 (4) 839-844;
John Hoe
1 Department of Diagnostic Radiology, National University Hospital, 5 Lower Kent Ridge Rd., Singapore 0511. Address reprint requests to J. Hoe.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • Article
  • Info & Metrics
  • PDF
Loading

Abstract

Axial CT scans of 60 patients with biopsy-proved nasopharyngeal carcinoma were reviewed with particular reference to sites of origin and routes of spread of disease. In all patients there was involvement of the pharyngeal space with blunting of the fossa of Rosenmuller and usually associated thickening of the adjacent levator veli palatini muscle. Tumor infiltration through the pharyngobasilar fascia manifested by obliteration or displacement of the parapharyngeal fat space was seen in 65% of the patients. T-staging by CT showed T1 (28%), T2 (20%), T3 (5%), and T4 (47%) involvement. In three patients there was bilateral symmetric blunting of the fossa of Rosenmuller with no evidence of tumor infiltration into the paraphyngeal space. The scans were initially interpreted as normal except for widening of the preoccipital soft-tissue area in the midline of more than 1.5 cm and up to 2.0 cm in the anteroposterior plane. Biopsy of the postnasal space was positive for tumor in these patients. With symmetric, early stage nasopharyngeal carcinoma, a confident radiologic diagnosis on CT can be difficult. If there is asymmetry of pharyngeal mucosal space or evidence of deep infiltration this should not be a problem.

Although lymphoid adenoid tissue can sometimes result in widening of the preoccipital area, it is proposed that widening of this area of greater than 1.5 cm is an additional CT sign of nasopharyngeal carcinoma not previously emphasized. It is the result of early submucosal infiltration of the disease, and a patient with clinically suspected nasopharyngeal carcinoma should have aggressive deep biopsies of the fossa of Rosenmuller.

  • © American Society of Neuroradiology
PreviousNext
Back to top

In this issue

American Journal of Neuroradiology
Vol. 10, Issue 4
1 Jul 1989
  • Table of Contents
  • Index by author
Advertisement
Download PDF
Email Article

Thank you for your interest in spreading the word on American Journal of Neuroradiology.

NOTE: We only request your email address so that the person you are recommending the page to knows that you wanted them to see it, and that it is not junk mail. We do not capture any email address.

Enter multiple addresses on separate lines or separate them with commas.
CT of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma: Significance of Widening of the Preoccipital Soft Tissue on Axial Scans
(Your Name) has sent you a message from American Journal of Neuroradiology
(Your Name) thought you would like to see the American Journal of Neuroradiology web site.
CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.
Citation Tools
CT of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma: Significance of Widening of the Preoccipital Soft Tissue on Axial Scans
John Hoe
American Journal of Neuroradiology Jul 1989, 10 (4) 839-844;

Citation Manager Formats

  • BibTeX
  • Bookends
  • EasyBib
  • EndNote (tagged)
  • EndNote 8 (xml)
  • Medlars
  • Mendeley
  • Papers
  • RefWorks Tagged
  • Ref Manager
  • RIS
  • Zotero
Share
CT of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma: Significance of Widening of the Preoccipital Soft Tissue on Axial Scans
John Hoe
American Journal of Neuroradiology Jul 1989, 10 (4) 839-844;
del.icio.us logo Digg logo Reddit logo Twitter logo Facebook logo Google logo Mendeley logo
  • Tweet Widget
  • Facebook Like
  • Google Plus One

Jump to section

  • Article
  • Info & Metrics
  • PDF

Related Articles

  • No related articles found.
  • Google Scholar

Cited By...

  • No citing articles found.
  • Crossref
  • Google Scholar

This article has not yet been cited by articles in journals that are participating in Crossref Cited-by Linking.

More in this TOC Section

  • Carotid Artery Balloon Test Occlusion
  • Embolization of Spinal Arteriovenous Fistulae, Spinal Arteriovenous Malformations, and Tumors of the Spinal Axis
  • Angioplasty and Stenting of Extracranial Brachiocephalic Stenoses (Other Than the Cervical Carotid Bifurcation) and Intracranial Stenoses
Show more Articles

Similar Articles

Advertisement

News and Updates

  • Lucien Levy Best Research Article Award
  • Thanks to our 2021 Distinguished Reviewers
  • Press Releases

Resources

  • Evidence-Based Medicine Level Guide
  • How to Participate in a Tweet Chat
  • AJNR Podcast Archive
  • Ideas for Publicizing Your Research
  • Librarian Resources
  • Terms and Conditions

Opportunities

  • Share Your Art in Perspectives
  • Get Peer Review Credit from Publons
  • Moderate a Tweet Chat

American Society of Neuroradiology

  • Neurographics
  • ASNR Annual Meeting
  • Fellowship Portal
  • Position Statements

© 2022 by the American Society of Neuroradiology | Print ISSN: 0195-6108 Online ISSN: 1936-959X

Powered by HighWire