Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2004 Oct;14(10):1882-8.
doi: 10.1007/s00330-004-2392-3. Epub 2004 Jul 9.

Virtual endoscopy of the nasopharynx in the evaluation of its normal anatomy and alterations due to lymphoid hyperplasia: preliminary report

Affiliations

Virtual endoscopy of the nasopharynx in the evaluation of its normal anatomy and alterations due to lymphoid hyperplasia: preliminary report

Ignazio Pandolfo et al. Eur Radiol. 2004 Oct.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic usefulness of virtual endoscopy in establishing the anatomic appearance of nasopharynx, both normal and affected by lymphoid hyperplasia. Thirty-seven patients affected by chronic rhinosinusal and otomastoid pathology, all studied by rhinoscopy, were examined with multislice computed tomography (CT) and virtual endoscopy of the nasopharynx. Rhinoscopy showed a completely normal nasopharynx in 15 cases and a variable grade of lymphoid hypertrophy in 22 patients. A general agreement was observed between traditional and virtual endoscopy findings in both subgroups. The tasca of Luschka was detected in 13/15 of normal subjects and only in 3/22 patients. The Rosenmuller fossae appeared deeper in normal subjects and their symmetry could be considered an important criterion of normality. In all cases, a good evaluation of the tubaric ostium was obtained. Differentiation between hyperplasic lymphoid tissue and neoplasms is possible only in lymphoid hyperplasia characterized by median crest-like swelling with a narrow base. In most cases, differential diagnosis cannot be based only on morphological criteria of virtual endoscopy, but it should be evaluated considering the overall CT findings and clinical presentation.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Radiol Med. 1998 Jul-Aug;96(1-2):29-34 - PubMed
    1. Eur J Radiol. 1997 May;24(3):175-80 - PubMed
    1. Eur Radiol. 2002 Jun;12(6):1410-5 - PubMed
    1. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol. 2003 Feb;112(2):139-42 - PubMed
    1. Neuroimaging Clin N Am. 1998 Feb;8(1):211-8 - PubMed

MeSH terms