[CT findings of non-Hodgkin lymphoma in the head and neck].

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the characteristic CT findings of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) in head and neck.

METHODS

Thirty-six patients with the head and neck NHL consisted of 23 males and 13 females, median 49.2 years. All cases were categorized into two groups: extranodal and nodal NHL lesions.

RESULTS

The extranodal NHL disease included 39 lesions (31 cases), and, the frequent head and neck sites of such lesions were Waldeyer's ring (n = 11), maxilla (n = 8), maxillofacial spaces (n = 7), salivery gland (n = 6), and others (n = 7). 30 lesions were soft tissue mass; 9 were mucosal thickening abnormality (including Waldeyer's ring in 6 lesions, maxilla in 2 lesions, and nasal cavity in one lesion). The majority of such extranodal NHL diseases were demonstrated on CT as non-necrosis (33 lesions) and uneven margin (26 lesions). Sixteen lymph node NHL lesions were composed of 6 NHL confined to neck lymph nodes and 10 combinations of nodal and extranodal NHL diseases. 5/6 of the former had the condition with rim enhancement, necrosis and confluent nodal mass. Of ten of the latter, 7 had the necrostic lesion with rim enhancement, and 3 had the lesion with confluent nodal mass.

CONCLUSION

Multiple maxillofacial extranodal sites of soft tissue mass with the presence of non-necrosis and uneven margin should be considered as the characteristic sign of NHL disease in the head and neck. Most nodal NHL may have the lesion with necrosis and rim enhancement, and the confluent mass is commonly seen in NHL confined to the neck lymph nodes.