The relationship of characteristics, eustachian tube anatomy, and mastoid pneumatization of nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients with middle ear and mastoid effusion using CT scan

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Otitis media effusion (OME) is a condition characterized by the presence of fluid in the middle ear cavity behind an intact tympanic membrane and could occur in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship of characteristics, Eustachian tube anatomy, and mastoid pneumatization of NPC patients with middle ear and mastoid effusions using CT-scan modality.METHODS: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted from January 2022 to August 2023 in our center. Variables assessed in this study were gender, age, duration of illness, tumor extension, stadium, quantitative mastoid pneumatization of the sigmoid sinus, qualitative mastoid pneumatization, and NPC.RESULTS: Eighty-four patients were included in this study. Most of respondents were male (76.2%), early elderly (34.5%), ≤1 year duration of illness (61.9%), tumor extension into parapharyngeal space (T2) (47.6%), stadium 3 (41.7%), good pneumatization (46.4%), and well-pneumatization (84.5%). There is a significant relationship between tumor extension and tumor staging in nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients, Eustachian tube anatomy, tubotympanic angle and pretympanic diameter, and quantitative and qualitative types of mastoid pneumatization of the sigmoid sinus and the incidence of middle ear and mastoid effusion (P<0.05). In addition, there is a significant relationship between hearing function using pure tone audiometry (PTA) in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma and the incidence of ipsilateral middle ear and mastoid effusion (P<0.05).CONCLUSIONS: There is a significant relationship between tumor extension and tumor staging in nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients with several variables of the NPC patients.

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