Role of Computed Tomography Imaging in Evaluation Cervical Lymph Nodes in Patients with Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

Abstract

Background: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma, the most common neoplasm to arise in the nasopharynx, is a locally aggressive tumor with a high incidence of cervical nodal metastases. This study aimed to investigate the role of computed tomography in the evaluation of cervical lymph nodes in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Methods: CT scans of 141 newly diagnosed nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients were reviewed. All patients were All patients were diagnosed by histopathology. Results:The 141 patients included in this analysis comprised men account for 75,9%,with a median age at diagnosis of 49 years (range, 20-80 years). On CT scan, there were 119 patients found with lymph nodes, accounting for 84.4%. Above carotid lymph nodesaccount for a high percentage (92,4%). The cervical lymph nodes on the both sides account for a high proportion (58.8%). The size of cervical lymph nodes from 2cm to less than 4cm accounts for a high proportion (54.6%), the size of lymph nodes under 1cm is only 0.8% and over 6cm is 4.2%. Retropharyngeal space lymph nodes is present in 39% of the total number of 141 patients with nasopharyngeal cancer, supraclavicular lymph nodes accounting for 1.4%. The period of neck lymph nodes N2 accounts for the highest proportion of 48.9%, the period of N3 is 4.3% and without neck lymph nodes is 15.6%. Conclusion:Computed tomography is essential for evaluation the cervical lymph nodes.