title: Syncope as a sign of occult malignant recurrence in the retropharyngeal and parapharyngeal space: CT and MR imaging findings in four cases.
abstract: Although rare, syncope may result from metastasis to the retropharyngeal or parapharyngeal space and involve or invade the glossopharyngeal nerve or internal carotid artery. We report the CT and MR imaging findings in four patients with syncope that preceded the diagnosis of recurrent squamous cell carcinoma in the pericarotid region. These findings suggest that recurrent carcinoma should be ruled out when a patient with head and neck malignancy and syncope is postoperatively examined.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Kochi Medical School, Nankoku, Kochi, 783-8505 Japan.
authors.forename: Mitsuhiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakahira
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nakatani
authors.forename: Taizo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takeda
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology*; D002339:Carotid Arteries; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010610:Pharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000556:secondary*; D010614:Pharynx / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000473:pathology*; D012008:Recurrence; D013575:Syncope / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed