Computed tomography as a prime modality for early detection of nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Abstract

Objective: To determine the diagnostic accuracy of computed tomographic scan for the diagnosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma, taking histopathology as gold standard. Study Design: Cross-sectional Validation study. Setting: Department of Radiology, Allied Hospital, Faisalabad. Period: 5^th December 2020 to 4^th June 2021. Material & Methods: Total 170 people between the ages of 20 and 60, of either gender, who were thought to have nasopharyngeal cancer were included. Patients with previous operation on the neck, previous radiotherapy to the neck, or patients with congenital lesions, claustrophobic and CRF were excluded. Then patients were undergone CT evaluation. Patients were labeled as positive or negative. Then patients were undergone biopsy and biopsy samples were evaluated from the Histopathology Department of Allied hospital Faisalabad. Biopsy results were followed and patients were confirmed as positive or negative. Results: Using histology as gold standard, computed tomographic scan has a sensitivity of 95.10%, specificity of 91.18%, positive predictive value of 94.17%, negative predictive value of 92.54%, and diagnostic accuracy of 93.53% for detecting NPC. Conclusion: This study proved computed tomography as a highly sensitive and accurate non-invasive modality for the detection of intracranial extension of NPC.