Non-Hodgkin lymphoma of the larynx: CT and MR imaging findings.
OBJECTIVE
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) of the larynx is a rare tumor. The aim of this study was to report the CT and MR features of laryngeal NHL in four patients to determine if there are any features that might be helpful to distinguish NHL from other laryngeal tumors.


METHODS
The CT and MR images of four patients with laryngeal NHL were retrospectively reviewed for tumor volume and distribution, appearance, local invasion, and lymphadenopathy.


RESULTS
Tumor volume ranged from 4 to 45 mL(3). Tumor was based in the submucosal (2/4 [50%]), mucosal (1/4 [25%]), or both regions (1/4 [25%]) and was centered in the supraglottis (4/4 [100%]) but also involved the glottis (4/4 [100%]) and subglottis (2/4 [50%]). Laryngeal tumor involved the aryepiglottic folds (4/4 [100%)]), ventricles and false cords (4/4 [100%]), epiglottis (3/4 [75%]), paraglottis (3/4 [75%]), true cords (4/4 [100%]), anterior commissure (4/4 [100%]), and laryngeal cartilage (1/4 [25%]). The tumor extended into the hypopharynx (4/4 [100%]), strap muscles (1/4 [25%]), prevertebral muscles (1/4 [25%]), tongue base (1/4 [25%]), and walls of the oropharynx (1/4 [25%]) and nasopharynx (1/4 [25%]). Bilateral cervical lymphadenopathy with extracapsular tumor spread was present in one patient.


CONCLUSIONS
Laryngeal NHL is a tumor that usually has a large submucosal component centered in the surpaglottis. The tumor extends into the glottis, with less frequent spread to the subglottis, laryngeal cartilage, and strap muscles. Laryngeal NHL also involves the hypopharynx, with large tumors extending superiorly into the tongue base, oropharynx, and nasopharynx. A laryngeal tumor with a large supraglottic submucosal component should alert the ragiologist to the possibility of NHL.
King
Ann D
AD
Departments of Diagnostic Radiology and Organ Imaging, Faculty of Medicine, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong, China.
Yuen
Edmund H Y
EH
Lei
Kenny I K
KI
Ahuja
Anil T
AT
Van Hasselt
Andrew
A
D000328:Adult; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007817:Laryngeal Cartilages / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D007820:Laryngeal Mucosa / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D008206:Lymphatic Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D010610:Pharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary
D003287:Contrast Media