Abstract
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) was used in the examination of three patients with nasopharyngeal malignant tumor and cranial nerve symptoms. Coronal and saggital sections were very useful for determining skull base invasion. Its high contrast resolution enabled us to visualize several cranial nerves directly. Differen-tiation between tumor and effusion in the paranasal sinuses was easy especially in T2 weighted images. Bone destruction could also be detected as bone marrow replacement by tumor or as interruption of the black line of compact bone. Local relationships of tumor and large blood vessels were visualized by MRI without invasive contrast enhancing methods. Despite such advantages, in one patient whose symptoms were highly suggestive of cranial invasion, no cranial invasion was detected by CT or MRI.
