title: Magnetic Resonance Imaging Findings in Childhood Period Nasopharynx Cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Nasopharyngeal carcinoma is a rarely seen tumor in childhood. It is mostly detected late as the clinical features are similar to other childhood tumors which affect the nasopharynx and adenoidal hypertrophy. Therefore, the radiological features of childhood tumors of the nasopharynx must be well known. The aim of this study was to investigate the contribution of MR imaging features of childhood nasopharynx cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included 10 nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients under the age of 18 years who presented at hospital between February 2008 and March 2014 and who had tissue diagnosis and MRI of the nasopharynx region. The MRI scans were evaluated by two radiologists. Loco-regional spread, asymmetry, signal intensity of the tumors, and lymph nodes were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In all the patients there was a mass which narrowed the nasopharynx. In all cases, unilateral mastoid opacification was observed. In 9 cases (90%), parapharyngeal extension was found. In 8 cases (80%), the mass showed an extension into the nasal cavity or oropharynx. In 5 cases (50%), there was an involvement of the skull base. In 3 patients (30%), an extension to the masticator space and pterygopalatine fossa was found. There were enlarged cervical lymph nodes bilaterally in 10 cases (100%). In 4 cases (40%), a lateral retropharyngeal lymph node was detected.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Childhood nasopharyngeal cancers are often diagnosed at an advanced stage. MR imaging can be helpful in diagnosis and differential diagnosis of childhood nasopharynx cancer from other diseases of the nasopharynx.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, A.Y. Ankara Oncology Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Elif
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Aktas
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, A.Y. Ankara Oncology Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Burcu
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sahin
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, A.Y. Ankara Oncology Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Nazan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ciledag
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, A.Y. Ankara Oncology Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Kemal Niyazi
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Arda
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, A.Y. Ankara Oncology Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Emrah
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Caglar
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Oncology, A.Y. Ankara Oncology Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Inci Ergurhan
authors.initials: IE
authors.lastname: Ilhan
keywords: Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms; Nasopharynx