Anatomy of Nasopharynx Flashcards
What is the anatomy border (ant, lateral, superior, posterior, inferior) of nasopharynx?
Anterior border: Nasal cavity posterior to choana
Lateral border: Torus tubarius, pharyngeal recess (fossa of Rosenmuller)
Superior border: Clivus
Posterior border: Clivus/occipital bone, C1/C2 vertebral bodies
Inferior border: soft palate
Describe the location of pharyngeal recess also known as fossa of Rosenmuller
Describe the lymph node drainage for nasopharynx cancer
RP nodes, Jugular chain via level II - IV, spinal accessory nodes (level V)
For nasopharynx what anatomy is involved for tumor extending laterally?
Also what clinical signs can be seen for the lateral invasion?
Eustachian tube causing hearing loss.
Tumors that extend beyond the nasopharynx laterally can invade the masticator space and impact chewing.
nasopharynx tumor extending inferiorly can invade
oropharynx
nasopharynx tumor extending anterior can invade
nasal cavity
nasopharynx tumor extending superiorly can invade
the base of skull via clivus
Further extension can invade the sphenoid sinus and intracranial extension can occur through either the clivus or adjacent foramina.
Foramen lacerum provides easy access to intracranial invasion.
Foramen ovale and rotundum can lead to V3 and V2 deficits and are a conduit to the cavernous sinus wehre the abducens nerve (VI) and less coommonly III can be invovled.
Very advanced cases can either push or invade the temporal bone.
Describe locations of foramen lacerum and ovale and which nerves pass through.
nasopharynx tumor extending posteriorly can invade
the prevertebral muscles and eventually adjacent bones (inferior clivus, C1) Further extension through the bone can impinge on the brainstem, or the adjacent posterior cranial nerves (IX - XII) that emerge from the lateral aspects of the brainstem.
