Hostname: page-component-7479d7b7d-fwgfc Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-11T16:26:37.286Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Trigeminal neuralgia in nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 June 2007

V. F. H. Chong
V. F. H. Chong*
Affiliation:
Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore
*
Address for correspondence: Dr Vincent Chong, Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Singapore General Hospital, Outram Road, Singapore 169608.
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Tumours at the skull base may show perineural infiltration of the mandibular nerve. Subsequent retrograde spread into the cavernous sinus, Gasserian ganglion, the trigeminal nerve and the pons may be seen. The patient, a known and treated case of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), complained of trigeminal neuralgia and difficulty in chewing. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a Gasserian ganglion and trigeminal infiltration with resultant atrophy of the muscles innervated by the mandibular nerve. Proximal cranial nerve involvement should be suspected in patients with skull base malignancy presenting with trigeminal neuralgia. MRI is the modality of choice in delineating the pathological process.

Keywords

Nasopharyngeal neoplasmsCarcinomaTrigeminal nerveMandibular nerveTrigeminal ganglion
Type
Radiology in Focus
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , Volume 110 , Issue 4 , April 1996 , pp. 394 - 396
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 1996

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Ballantyne, A. J., McCarten, A. B., Ibanez, M. L. (1963) Extension of cancer of the head and neck through peripheral nerves. American Journal of Surgery 106: 651–667.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Curtin, H. D., Williams, R., Johnson, J. (1984) CT of perineural tumor extension: Pterygopalatine fossa. American Journal of Neuroradiology 5: 731–737.Google Scholar
Daniels, D. L., Pech, P., Pojunas, K. W., Kilgore, D. P., Williams, A. I., Haughton, V. M. (1986) Trigeminal nerve: anatomic correlation with MR imaging. Radiology 159: 577–583.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Dodd, D. G., Dolan, P. A., Ballantyne, A. J., Ibanez, M. L., Chau, P. (1970) The dissemination of tumors of the head and neck via the cranial nerves. Radiologic Clinics of North America 8: 445–461.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Fulbright, R., Panush, D., Sze, G., Smith, R. C., Constable, R. T. (1994) MR of head and neck: Comparison of fast spinecho and conventional spin-echo sequences. American Journal of Neuroradiology 15: 767–773.Google ScholarPubMed
Ginsberg, L. E. (1992) Neoplastic disease affecting the central skull base: CT and MR imaging. American Journal of Roentgenology 159: 581–589.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hardin, C. W., Harnsberger, R. (1987) The radiographic evaluation of trigeminal neuropathy. Seminars in Ultrasound CT and MR 8: 214–236.Google Scholar
Harnsberger, H. R. (1990) In Head and Neck Imaging. Handbook in Radiology series, Year Book Medical Publishers, Chicago, pp 46–60.Google Scholar
Laine, F. J., Braun, I. F., Jensen, M. E., Nadel, L., Som, P. M. (1990) Perineural tumor extension through the foramen ovale: Evaluation with MR imaging. Radiology 174: 65–71.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sham, J. S. T., Cheung, Y. K., Choy, D., Chan, F. L., Leong, L. (1990) Nasopharyngeal carcinoma: CT evaluation of patterns of tumor spread. American Journal of Neuroradiology 12: 265–270.Google Scholar