Sphenoid sinus mucocoele and cranial nerve palsies in a patient with a history of nasopharyngeal carcinoma: may mimic local recurrence

Long-Term Follow-Up of Post Radiation Complete Sinus Opacification in Sinonasal Cancer Patients

OBJECTIVE

Treatment of sinonasal malignancies most often requires primary or postoperative radiation treatment. Post radiation sinonasal morbidity has been previously described; however, none addressed post-radiation sinus obstruction. Our objective was to investigate the long-term outcomes of post radiation complete isolated sinus opacification (CISO).

METHODS

A retrospective analysis of sinonasal cancer patients treated with radiation therapy during the years 2002 to 2022. Clinical, imaging and treatment data were collected from patients' medical records. Only patients with at least 12 months of follow-up and available imaging for review were included.

RESULTS

Out of 109 patients, 37 patients were identified to meet the inclusion criteria. Mean follow-up was 58 months. 35% of patients were diagnosed with persistent post radiation CISO with a mean onset of 4 months. All these patients remained asymptomatic, and their imaging remained stable during follow-up with none developing an expanding mucocele. Ethmoid sinus tumor involvement was found to be more prevalent in the CISO group (62% vs. 25%, p-value = 0.048) as well as chemotherapy/immunotherapy (54% vs. 38%, p-value = 0.046). Multivariant analysis revealed that ethmoid sinus involvement (OR = 9.516, p-value = 0.047) and adjuvant therapy, either chemotherapy/immunotherapy (OR = 10.75, p-value = 0.036) were found to be a predictive factor for complete opacification.

CONCLUSION

Our study revealed that a substantial number of post-radiation patients develop a stable and persistent CISO, often in the frontal and sphenoid sinuses. These patients remained asymptomatic, and none required surgical intervention during nearly 5 years of follow-up.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

4 Laryngoscope, 134:4232-4238, 2024.

Sphenoid sinus mucocele: an unusual complication of head and neck irradiation in a North African woman

Mucocele is a common benign lesion otherwise rarely located in the sphenoid sinus. Some complications after head and neck irradiation have been described in the literature until now. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a sphenoid sinus mucocele in a North African patient treated some years before with radiotherapy for a nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). We extend the literature review about this infrequent finding, of which head and neck surgeons should be aware. Key words:Mucocele, sphenoid sinus mucocele, nasopharyngeal carcinoma, radiotherapy, North African.

Maxillary Sinus Mucopyocele in a Fifty-eight-year-old man: A Possible Late Complication of Irradiation to Head and Neck

Introduction:

A mucocele is an epithelial-lined, mucus-containing sac that can fill the sinus completely and expand gradually. Mucopyocele is an infected mucocele.

Case Report:

We presented a case of left maxillary mucopyocele in a 58-year-old man that developed after radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Computed tomography scan showed opacification of the left maxillary sinus expanding through the medial wall of the antrum with thinning and destruction of the adjacent structures. Endoscopic marsupialization of the lesion and left partial maxillectomy were performed. The cystic mass had yellowish thick mucopurulent fluid that was completely drained.

Conclusions:

A few cases of sphenoid sinus mucocele as a late complication of radiation therapy have been reported. Maxillary mucocele and mucopyocele can be considered as one of the late complications of radiotherapy to head and neck as a result of occlusion of sinus ostia by scarred mucosa.

MR imaging of nonmalignant polyps and masses of the nasopharynx and sphenoid sinus after radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The development of a new polyp or mass in the radiation field of a previously treated carcinoma is usually an ominous sign of a recurrent cancer, but rarely may it be caused instead by a nonmalignant process. The purpose of this study was to document the MR appearance of unusual nonmalignant polyps or masses (NMPMs) in the nasopharynx and sphenoid sinus arising after radiation treatment of nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The MR imaging reports of patients undergoing imaging after radiation therapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma were reviewed retrospectively to identify patients with unusual polyps and masses in the nasopharynx. The MR images of those patients with no evidence of malignancy on biopsy or follow-up were reviewed.

RESULTS

The MR imaging reports of 1282 patients were reviewed, and 11 patients (1%) with NMPMs in the nasopharynx or sphenoid sinus were identified. Two patterns were identified: contrast enhancing nasopharyngeal polyps ranging in size from 1 to 5 cm (n = 5) and sphenoid sinus masses consisting of a nonenhancing mass filling a nonexpanded sinus (n = 4) and a heterogeneous enhancing mass expanding the sinus (n = 2). Osteoradionecrosis produced a large defect in the roof of the nasopharynx causing direct communication with the sphenoid sinus (n = 6). Histology revealed granulation tissue in all of the patients with variable amounts of fibrin and inflammatory cells. A direct infective etiology was not proved in any patient.

CONCLUSION

NMPMs in the nasopharynx and sphenoid sinus are rare complications after radiation therapy to the skull base, but the radiologist needs to be aware of their appearance so that they can be considered in the differential diagnosis of suspected tumor recurrence.