title: Etiology analysis and computed tomography imaging of a tonsillar inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor: report of an immunocompetent patient and brief review.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The etiology of Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor(IMT) is contentious. In this study, we used computed tomography (CT) to examine tonsillar IMT and further analyzed the etiology of this entity.
  
  
  METHODS
  We presented CT features of left tonsillar IMT and reviewed the English-language literature published between 1984 and 2011.
  
  
  RESULTS
  To our knowledge, there are only six published cases of tonsillar IMT including the present case. Two patients were asymptomatic at initial presentation. Two patients were taking immunosuppressants, and one was pregnant and in an immunomodulated state. CT of our patient revealed a 2.6 × 1.8 cm irregular soft tissue mass between the left tonsil and the base of the tongue. It did not invade surrounding structures and was not enhanced on contrast-enhanced imaging.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Tonsillar IMT may be a benign tumor. We suggest that preoperative recognition of tonsillar IMT by CT may be important to avoid unnecessary expanded surgery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310003, China.
authors.forename: Yun-Zhen
authors.initials: YZ
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Li-Bo
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.forename: Shui-Hong
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Xing-Mei
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Ling-Xiang
authors.initials: LX
authors.lastname: Ruan
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006965:Hyperplasia; D008875:Middle Aged; D014066:Palatine Tonsil / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011252:Pregnancy Complications, Neoplastic / Q000473:pathology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014067:Tonsillar Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*