Imaging of nonlaryngeal neuroendocrine carcinoma

The imaging and pathologic features of three cases of nonlaryngeal neuroend ocrine carcinoma of the head and neck are described. Neuroendocrine carcino mas represent malignant epithelial neuroendocrine neoplasms and are classif ied as three types: typical carcinoid (well differentiated), atypical carci noid (moderately differentiated), and small cell neuroendocrine (poorly dif ferentiated) carcinomas. The CT and MR imaging features of these tumors are nonspecific. Paranasal sinus neuroendocrine carcinomas showed expansion an d destruction of the sinus, whereas metastatic neuroendocrine carcinomas to an intraparotid lymph node presented as a circumscribed parotid mass on CT scans.