Radiology of nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Plain film radiography and pluridirectional tomography have been displaced by CT and MRI for imaging NPC. The latter techniques are to some extent complementary, since MRI is particularly useful for defining soft-tissue components and CT accurately delineates bone erosion. CT, however, also provides good soft-tissue definition in conjunction with contrast enhancement. Nuclear isotope scanning is valuable in detecting bone metastases. These imaging techniques are of particular value in detecting submucosal tumors not visible clinically and are also essential to accurate tumor staging.