Korean J Otolaryngol-Head Neck Surg.  2002 Sep;45(9):902-905.

Comparative Analysis of Diagnostic Tools for Parapharyngeal Tumors

• Joo JB
• Lee SK
• Yang JS
• Kang CI
• Yoo SJ
• Nam SY
• Kim SY

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The parapharyngeal tumors are rare and treated mostly by surgical removal. The preoperative diagnosis of parapharyngeal tumors is very important because the surgical removal of neurogenic tumor, which is the main mass in the parapharyngeal space, can induce severe complications. There are many diagnostic tools for parapharyngeal tumors and their effectiveness are variable. In this study, we focused on the diagnostic accuracy of each diagnostic tool.
SUBJECTS AND METHOD
We compared the preoperative diagnostic results with the final pathologic reports of 56 parapharyngeal tumors. Diagnostic tools used were computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), ultrasonography (US), and fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB).
RESULTS
The diagnostic accuracy of MRI, CT and US was 68.2%, 51.6% and 42.8%, respectively. The sensitivity (83%) and specificity (87.5%) of FNAB for neurogenic tumor are higher than those of MRI (75%, 50%).
CONCLUSION
These results suggest that FNAB is the most precise and reliable diagnostic tool and MRI is the most reasonable and effective imaging study.

Keyword

The parapharyngeal space tumor; MRI; CT; Ultrasonography; Needle biopsy

MeSH Terms

Biopsy
Biopsy, Fine-Needle
Biopsy, Needle
Diagnosis
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Sensitivity and Specificity
Ultrasonography