Unilateral Palate Paralysis in Patients With Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma: Imaging and Clinical Correlations

Objective Neck masses, hearing impairment, and blood‐tinged nasal discharges are three major clinical manifestations of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Because of the relationship between the anatomic structures of the fossa of Rosenmüller and the levator veli palatini muscle, NPC arising in the fossa can invade the levator muscle, limiting movement or causing paralysis of the ipsilateral soft palate. It is well known that NPC originates commonly from the fossa of Rosenmüller. We therefore hypothesize that the clinical signs of unilateral palate paralysis in patients with NPC must be far more common than usually realized. This issue is, as yet, not fully addressed in the literature.