title: Primary nasopharyngeal non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: imaging patterns on MR imaging.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To summarize the distinct imaging features of different subtypes of primary nasopharyngeal non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHLs).
  
  
  METHODS
  Clinical data and magnetic resonance imaging findings of 71 patients with histologically proven primary nasopharyngeal NHLs were retrospectively reviewed. The tumor distribution, signal intensity, lesion texture, contrast enhancement properties, extra-chamber involvement, regional structure invasion, and cervical lymphadenopathy were evaluated and compared between different subtypes of NHLs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the patients, 70.4% had B-cell lymphomas; 64.8% had symmetrical and diffuse involvement of nasopharynx walls; and 19.7% had superficial ulcerations. Extra-chamber involvement and regional structure invasion occurred in most patients. The frequency of neck node involvement was up to 83.10%; 62.7% of them were bilateral involvement. Patients with T-cell or nature killer/T-cell NHLs had a higher incidence of superficial ulcerations, nasal cavity, and paranasal sinus invasion than B-cell NHLs (P<.05). Patients with B-cell NHLs had a higher incidence of cervical lymphadenopathy specifically in Level VA and parotid region than T-cell or nature killer/T-cell (NK/T-cell) NHLs (P<.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Primary nasopharyngeal NHLs had some characteristic imaging features and different subtypes of nasopharyngeal NHLs had some distinct imaging features.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Oncology in Southern China & Medical Imaging and Minimally Invasive Interventional Center, Cancer Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Chuan-miao
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Xue-wen
authors.initials: XW
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Yun-xian
authors.initials: YX
authors.lastname: Mo
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Zhi-jun
authors.initials: ZJ
authors.lastname: Geng
authors.forename: Lie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Yan-chun
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Lv
authors.forename: Xiao-hua
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Ban
authors.forename: Rong
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000473:pathology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D055815:Young Adult