Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor of the head and neck

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT) is a rare benign neoplasm. The aim of this study was to enhance the understanding of head and neck IMT and to improve its diagnosis and management. Clinical features and related treatment of 10 IMT cases were retrospectively analyzed and the literature was reviewed. Tumor sites identified included four in the maxillary space, two in the buccal space, two in the parotid gland, one in the post aurem, and one in the neck. Nine of ten patients received local resection, and one of ten patients received a total maxillectomy. One patient had a local recurrence and died, while the other nine patients had no distant metastases and survived. A computed tomography (CT) exam performed on nine of the ten patients showed that six of these nine cases were heterogeneous in density, while the other three cases were homogeneous. Four cases showed marked heterogeneous enhancement, two cases showed mild heterogeneous enhancement, and three cases showed moderate homogeneous enhancement on contrast-enhanced CT images. The incidence of IMT in the head and neck is low, and local resection is currently the best treatment. A prolonged postoperative follow-up period is necessary for patients with IMT.