[Imaging features of Waldeyer's ring in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and its clinical significance].
OBJECTIVE
Waldeyer's ring is the most vulnerable site outside lymph nodes in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). Its imaging features in NHL of early stage were similar with those of squamous epithelial cancer, which often leads to misdiagnosis. This study was to discuss imaging features of Waldeyer's ring in NHL, and its clinical significance.


METHODS
CT and MRI performances of 149 patients with pathologically diagnosed Waldeyer's ring-NHL were retrospectively analyzed.


RESULTS
Among 149 cases of Waldeyer's ring-NHL, 98 (65.8%) were B-cell origin, and 51 (34.2%) were T-cell or NK/T-cell origin; tonsil was the most vulnerable site followed by nasopharyngeal tonsil and other positions. CT and MRI showed that 81 were focal nodules or masses (commonly in B-cell NHL), 36 were diffuse infiltrating growth (commonly in NK/T-cell NHL), 7 were pure ulcer, and 25 were mixed type. The lesions of focal masses are characterized with even CT density and MRI signals. The lesions usually localized in pharynx-mucosa clearance, but rarely in deep space, such as parapharyngeal space, and in skull-base. Among 78 cases with involved cervical lymph nodes, 64 were B-cell origin, and 14 were NK/T-cell origin (P< 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Multiple positions and centers origin, huge masses, diffuse infiltration growth, and less involvement in deep space and skull-base are typical imaging features of Waldeyer's ring-NHL; CT and MRI may be helpful to diagnose, clinical classifying, and treating Waldeyer's ring-NHL.
Huang
Sheng-Fu
SF
Department of Radiation Oncology, Jiangsu Provincial Cancer Hospital, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210 009, P.R. China. bnj5691160@jlonline.com
Zhang
Lan-Fang
LF
He
Xia
X
Shen
Wen-Rong
WR
Gu
Zhong-Yi
ZY
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology; D016393:Lymphoma, B-Cell / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D016399:Lymphoma, T-Cell / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D009333:Neck; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009669:Nose Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014067:Tonsillar Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging