Radiographic findings of a well-differentiated sinonasal neuroendocrine neoplasm: Case report and review of the literature

Typical carcinoid is a rare tumor among other neuroendocrine neoplasms that occur in the nasal cavity. Only a few cases of typical carcinoids in the nasal cavity have been reported. We report a case of typical carcinoid of the nasal cavity in a 61-year-old man who had a history of persistent nasal obstruction and epistaxis for approximately 17 years. Computed tomography revealed a huge, lobulated mass in the nasal cavity with extension into the posterior sphenoid sinus. Extensive bone destruction could be seen in the neighboring sphenoid sinus. MR imaging suggested that the tumor was close to the dura. The final histologic evaluation of the excised biopsy specimen yielded a diagnosis of a well-differentiated neuroendocrine neoplasm (typical carcinoid). In this article, the relevant reports in the literature are reviewed, and the role of radiographic findings on tumor diagnosis and on the establishment of a surgery plan is emphasized.