title: Use of narrow band imaging in evaluation of possible nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study was designed to evaluate the narrow band imaging (NBI) system for its ability to differentiate between malignant neoplasm and benign neoplasm by real-time image during nasopharyngoscopy, the quality of the visualization, and the limitation of the NBI in nasopharyngeal lesions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between June 2009 and May 2010, 63 patients who had a suspected nasopharyngeal tumor via nasopharyngoscopy at Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taiwan, were included in this study. All of the patients received nasopharyngoscopy with conventional view and NBI view and nasopharyngeal biopsy. The patients were divided into two groups depending on the pathological results: nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and lymphoid hyperplasia/chronic inflammation (LH).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty-one patients were in the NPC group and 22 patients were in the LH group. The pattern of the NBI view showed regular cobblestone in the LH group, except for one patient. The pattern of the NBI view showed an irregular engorged vascular pattern and/or microvascular proliferative pattern in 32 of 41 NPC patients (78.0%). The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of NBI in nasopharynx (NP) were 78.0, 95.5, 97.0, and 70.0%, respectively, in NP neoplasm.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  NBI could be helpful in differentiating benign and malignant neoplasm in the NP region. Using NBI in NP regions had some limitations, including bleeding and mucus coating.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taiwan. cyho@vghtpe.gov.tw
authors.forename: Ching-Yin
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.forename: Yi-Lun
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Pen-Yuan
authors.initials: PY
authors.lastname: Chu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009093:Mucus / Q000378:metabolism; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity