CT and MRI diagnosis of local recurrences or residues after radiotherapy of nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Objective To evaluate the value of CT and MRI in the diagnosis of local recurrences or residues after radiotherapy of nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Methods 125 patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma those abnormal masses were seen on CT or MRI within 4 months to 2 years afte radiotherapy were collected. Of them,73 patients underwent nasopharyngeal biopsy and other 52 patients in which included with negative results of biopsy and without biopsy underwent follow-up CT and MRI examinations. Results Follow-up examinations by pathologic biopsy or CT and MRI demonstrated that 55 patients( 44.4 %)revealed themself local recurrences or residues and 70 patients( 55.6 % )were post-radiotherapeutic change in all patients. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of CT in the diagnosis of recurrence or residue after radiotherapy of nasopharyngeal carcinoma were 54.8 %,73.8 % and 65.8%, respectively Compared with these values,corresponding value of MRI were 61.8 %,83.7 %,and 74 %,respectively. Conclusion Although the diagnostic accuracy of CT and MRI all are lower,however,MRI is slightly superior to CT.