title: Tornwaldt's cyst: incidence and a case report.
abstract: Tornwaldt's cyst is an uncommon type of nasopharyngeal cyst that may cause clinically significant symptoms. We reviewed reports of 31,855 computed tomography (CT) scans and 21,158 magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans to ascertain how many Tornwaldt's cysts were discovered incidentally. These images had been obtained between Jan. 1, 1994, and Dec. 31, 1999, at the University of Virginia Health Sciences Center. We found that 32 Tornwaldt's cysts had been incidentally detected in 20 women and 12 men. Four of these cysts had been found on CT (0.013%; mean size: 0.66 cm3) and 28 on MRI (0.13%; mean size: 0.58 cm3). The overall rate was 0.06% (32/53,013). The most common indications for imaging in these patients were headache, seizures, dizziness/vertigo, and pharyngeal symptoms. We also report the case of a patient with a symptomatic Tornwaldt's cyst whose symptoms resolved after treatment with endoscopic marsupialization. Tornwaldt's cyst should be remembered as an uncommon but potentially treatable cause of many symptoms seen in a typical otolaryngology practice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston 29425, USA.
authors.forename: Marcus W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Moody
authors.forename: David H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Chi
authors.forename: David M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Chi
authors.forename: John C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Mason
authors.forename: C Douglas
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Phillips
authors.forename: Charles W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Gross
authors.forename: Rodney J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Schlosser
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003560:Cysts / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D033162:Incidental Findings; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009302:Nasopharyngeal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed