The role of radiological and nuclear medicine imaging methods in nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Abstract

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a rare disease in the Slovenian population. Treatment depends also on the TNM stage of the carcinoma, which is determined also with the help of radiologic and nuclear medicine imaging methods. The radiologic imaging examination method of choice for detecting NPC and lymph node metastases is MRI, whereas spreading of NPC to bone structures is best shown using CT. To continue, PET-CT is the method of choice for detecting distant metastases and disease recurrence 3 to 6 months after completed treatment.

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Povzetek

Karcinom nosnega dela žrela je v slovenski populaciji redka bolezen. Zdravljenje je odvisno tudi od TNM-stadija karcinoma, katerega določamo tudi s pomočjo radioloških in nuklearnomedicinskih slikovnih preiskovalnih metod. Radiološka slikovno-preiskovalna metoda izbora za ugotavljanje KNŽ in zasevkov v bezgavkah je MR, širjenje KNŽ v kostne strukture pa si najboljše prikažemo s pomočjo CT. PET-CT pa je metoda izbora za ugotavljanje oddaljenih zasevkov in ponovitve bolezni 3 do 6 mesecev po zaključenem zdravljenju.