Gao Fei, Zhong Rui, Li Guo-hong, Zhang Wei-dong
State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Department of Radiology, Cancer Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, PR China.
Acta Radiol. 2014 May;55(4):434-40. doi: 10.1177/0284185113500165. Epub 2013 Aug 21.
Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT) is a rare tumor of mesenchymal origin that commonly occurs in the lung. Because of its non-specific clinical and imaging features, IMT is often misdiagnosed as a malignant tumor. There have been few imaging reports on IMT of the head and neck.
To analyze the computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings of inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors (IMTs) of the head and neck.
Six patients with IMTs of the head and neck confirmed by histopathologic examination were analyzed retrospectively.
The mean patient age was 40 years. The tumor locations in the six patients were as follows: left bridge of the nose (one), right infratemporal fossa (two), and left parotid gland (three). Three patients who underwent CT all had soft tissue masses or nodules and no calcification. Bridge of the nose tumor showed a homogeneous isodense nodule and mild homogeneous enhancement. Infratemporal fossa tumor showed a homogeneous low density mass and intermediate homogeneous enhancement. Left parotid gland tumor showed a heterogeneous, mostly low density mass, and intermediate heterogeneous enhancement. T1-weighted images of the parotid gland tumors were hypointense; the infratemporal fossa tumor was isointense. T2-weighted images were mildly hypointense and of mixed hypo- and isointensity in the two parotid gland tumors; the infratemporal fossa tumor was homogeneously mildly hypointense. Heterogeneous intermediate enhancement was demonstrated in one parotid gland and the infratemporal fossa patients and mild homogeneous enhancement in another parotid gland patient.
The imaging features of IMTs of the head and neck are non-specific. An ill-defined, aggressive mass and variable enhancement on CT and MRI may suggest the diagnosis of IMT. IMT should be included in the differential diagnosis of regional tumors.
炎性肌纤维母细胞瘤（IMT）是一种罕见的间叶源性肿瘤，常见于肺部。由于其临床和影像学特征不具特异性，IMT常被误诊为恶性肿瘤。关于头颈部IMT的影像学报道较少。
分析头颈部炎性肌纤维母细胞瘤（IMT）的计算机断层扫描（CT）和磁共振成像（MRI）表现。
回顾性分析6例经组织病理学检查确诊的头颈部IMT患者。
患者平均年龄为40岁。6例患者的肿瘤部位如下：左鼻背（1例）、右颞下窝（2例）和左腮腺（3例）。3例行CT检查的患者均有软组织肿块或结节，无钙化。鼻背肿瘤表现为均匀等密度结节，均匀轻度强化。颞下窝肿瘤表现为均匀低密度肿块，均匀中度强化。左腮腺肿瘤表现为不均匀、大多为低密度肿块，不均匀中度强化。腮腺肿瘤的T1加权像呈低信号；颞下窝肿瘤呈等信号。2例腮腺肿瘤的T2加权像呈轻度低信号，为低信号与等信号混合；颞下窝肿瘤呈均匀轻度低信号。1例腮腺和颞下窝患者表现为不均匀中度强化，另1例腮腺患者表现为均匀轻度强化。
头颈部IMT的影像学特征不具特异性。CT和MRI上边界不清、侵袭性肿块及强化方式多样可能提示IMT的诊断。IMT应纳入区域肿瘤的鉴别诊断。
