Olfactory Neuroblastoma: Everything Radiologists Should Know
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Review article Olfactory Neuroblastoma: Everything Radiologists Should Know Raquel Navas-Campo1 Leticia Moreno Caballero1 Ana Gasos Lafuente1 Pilar Tobajas Morlana1 Eduardo Séez Valero1 María José Gimeno Peribáñez1 1 Hospital Clínico Universitario Lozano Blesa, Zaragoza, Spain Abstract Olfactory neuroblastoma (ONB) is a rare malignant tumor that originates from olfactory neuroepithelial cells. Its early diagnosis is difficult due to the low specificity of symptoms. Imaging tests play an important role in the diagnosis and surgical planning of ONB; therefore, it is important that radiologists know the characteristic findings and the different classifications that will help to choose the most appropriate treatment for each tumor. Keywords Olfactory neuroblastoma, Esthesioneuroblastoma, Cancer of the Head and Neck, Computed Tomography, Magnetic Resonance Imaging Introduction of life and the second peak in the sixth decade of life, some recent studies support a uniform distribution across all ages, Olfactory neuroblastoma (ONB) is a rare malignancy of the with a peak in the fifth and sixth decades of life.3,4,6.12,13 upper nasal cavity, also known as esthesioneuroblastoma, Nonspecificity of symptoms and local aggressiveness lead to esthesioneuroepithelioma, esthesioneurocytoma or olfactory the development of locally advanced disease with submuco- placode.1 It was first described by Berger et al.2 in 1924, and sal spread to the paranasal sinuses and the anterior cranial the most widely accepted term at this time is “olfactory neu- fossa through the cribriform plate in a large number of pa- roblastoma”.3,4 tients.14-16 Metastatic disease affects between 17% and 48% The exact origin of this tumor, as well as the location and of patients.17 Cervical lymph nodes are the most common cell type are under debate.5 Proposed anatomic sites of ori- sites of metastasis, with an incidence ranging between 20% gin include Jacobson organ (vomeronasal organ), the sphe- and 30%, followed by the lung, bone and, rarely, the liver, nopalatine ganglion, the ectodermal olfactory placode, Loci’s mediastinum, adrenal gland, ovary, spleen or parotid gland or ganglion, sympathetic ganglia of the nasal mucosa, and the even the breast.12,18-24 nasal mucosa itself. However, the most likely site of origin of Imaging plays an important role in the diagnosis and surgical ONB is the basal neural cells of the olfactory mucosa.5-7 This planning of ONB. Therefore, it is essential that radiologists is supported by the fact that neural filaments are present in know the characteristic findings of ONB on the various imag- tumor cells, as demonstrated by Trojanowaski et al.8 in 1982, ing modalities and the classifications that will help to choose and by molecular analysis, as demonstrated by Carney et al.9 the most appropriate treatment for each tumor. in 1995, with the expression of the Drosophila achaete-scute gene (hASH1), involved in immature olfactory neuronal de- velopment.5,6,10 Histology and immunohistochemistry This tumor accounts for approximately 2% to 3% of all intra- nasal malignancies.11 It affects both genders equally. It may Histologically, ONB is composed of small round blue cells occur at all ages and, although it was thought to have a bi- slightly larger than mature lymphocytes. These cells pos- modal age distribution with one peak in the second decade sess round-to-oval-shaped nuclei, with scanty cytoplasm and Rev. Argent. Radiol. 2020;84(1): 17-31 17 Olfactory Neuroblastoma: Everything Radiologists Should Know sharply defined chromatin. They also have layers of malignant There is growing evidence in literature that this classification cells organized into lobules through slender vascular fibrous may be used as an indicator for prognosis. High-grade tu- septa, true neural rosettes (Flexner– Wintersteiner type) and mors in Hyams classification have been found to be associ- pseudorosettes (Homer Wright type).23 ated with more aggressive locoregional disease and a worst The differential diagnosis of ONB includes all small round survival outcome than low-grade tumors.4,34,35 Furthermore, blue cell tumors occurring in the sinonasal tract. These in- Hyams classification may add value to guide the selection of clude epithelial neoplasms such as sinonasal undifferentiated adjuvant therapy.34 carcinoma, sinonasal neuroendocrine carcinoma, squamous carcinoma and melanoma; non-epithelial neoplasms such as rhabdomyosarcoma, lymphoproliferative tumors and benign Clinical manifestations lesions such as inverted papilloma and schwannoma.25 Differential diagnosis is possible, especially in cases of high- The most common presenting symptoms are nasal obstruc- grade lesions, only by immunohistochemistry.26 The tumor tion followed by recurrent epistaxis. Other symptoms include cells of ONB express neuronal markers such as synaptophy- headache, facial pain, hyposmia and rhinorrhea.36.45 Occa- sin, chromogranin or neuron-specific enolase, as well as cal- sionally, it may occur as an asymptomatic nasal mass that retinin, which differentiate them from other types of small is found incidentally.45 Advanced stage disease manifests round blue cell tumors.27,28 with symptoms related to local extension beyond the nose The cells in the periphery of the lobules are highly reactive and paranasal sinuses, such as epiphora, diplopy, proptosis for protein S100. Cytokeratin is usually negative, although in and loss of visual acuity.36,43-45 Rarely, patients may present some isolated cases it may exhibit an irregular expression.29 with symptoms of intracranial involvement, such as frontal lobe symptoms and seizures.38,45 On rare occasions, paraneo- plastic symptoms have been reported resulting from ectopic Histological Classification hormonal secretion, including Cushing syndrome and hypo- natremia secondary to adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) The histological grading system proposed by Hyams et al.30 and antidiuretic hormone (ADH) secretion, respectively.45-48 (Table 1) was developed in 1988 as an important tool for Locally, advanced disease may present signs of invasion and prognosis, both of recurrence and survival..30,31 The criteria destruction of surrounding structures, such as the orbit, underlying this classification are the mitotic activity, native brain, facial soft tissues and skin.3,6,38 architecture conservation, matrix features, nuclear poly- Because of the nonspecificity of the early symptoms of ONB, morphism, the existence of rosettes and tumor necrosis.32 there is generally a delay in diagnosis, with an average time This grading system stratifies tumors into four groups rang- of 6 to 12 months between the onset of symptoms and di- ing from well differentiated (grade I) to least differentiated agnosis.3,6,19,38,49 (grade IV). This is a subjective complex system and sometimes definitive separation into grades becomes difficult. For this reason, there has been a tendency to group these categories Imaging Diagnosis into low-grade, comprising grades I and II, and high-grade, comprising grades III and IV, in order to provide and easier Imaging is very important in the diagnosis and staging of description of these tumors in correlation with prognosis.33 ONB. Generally, a combination of computed tomography Table 1: The Hyams histological grading system. * HW rosettes: true rosettes (Flexner– Wintersteiner type). * FW Pseudoro- settes (Homer Wright type). GRADE Preservation of Mitotic Nuclear Fibrillary Rosettes Necrosis lobular architecture index polymorphism matrix I + None None Prominent HW rosettes None II + Low Moderate Present HW rosettes None III + / - Moderate Prominent Present FW pseudorosettes Rare IV + / - High Marked Absent None Frequent 18 Rev. Argent. Radiol. 2020;84(1): 17-31 R. Navas-Campo et al. (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is required for 12).55 On MRI, ONB appears hypointense to gray matter on an optimal evaluation of the extent of the tumor.38,49 Both T1-weighted images and iso- to hyperintense to gray matter tests allow diagnosis, definition of the extent and stage of on T2-weighted images (Figs. 10-15).56 The tumor demon- the tumor and of the surgical approach, and monitoring and strates homogeneous enhancement except for areas of ne- evaluation of the treatment response. crosis or hemorrhage. In addition, MRI can differentiate the Thin-slice CT scan (1-mm slice thickness) with reconstruction tumor from entrapped secretions, which are hyperintense on in coronal and sagittal planes is the best initial imaging test T2-weighted images.53,55 The classic imaging findings include for assessing ONB. On CT, ONB appears as a homogeneous a “dumbbell-shaped” mass extending across the cribriform soft-tissue mass in the nasal vault with uniform and moderate plate (Fig. 12), with the narrow portion at the cribriform contrast enhancement (Figs. 1 and 2). Scattered speckled cal- plate. Peripheral tumor cysts (Figs. 5b, 12, 14, 16) and speck- cifications may be present (Figs. 2-4, 5a, 6).50 The main value led calcifications are quite characteristic of ONB.1 of CT is that it provides better definition of bone involvement MRI fat-saturated sequences help distinguish tumor from or- than MRI. CT helps to evaluate bone erosion of the cribriform bital fat and muscle. A smooth margin of the tumor-fat inter- plate, fovea ethmoidalis and lamina papyracea (Figs. 1-4, 5a, face suggests that the lesion is contained by periorbital fascia 8). However, bone remodeling without erosion may occur in (Fig. 15), while an irregular margin favors frank invasion of some cases due to the indolent growth pattern.3,35,49 CT scans the orbit.35,49,57 However, the definitive diagnosis of invasion generally show a lytic pattern and very rarely dominant hy- of dura and periorbital tissues is possible only at surgery.49 perostosis mimicking fibrous dysplasia.51 CT is also useful to Imaging of the neck in patients with ONB is crucial because assess regional neck and distant metastasis.52,53 neck lymph nodes metastases are found at presentation in MRI is the imaging modality of choice for a detailed evalua- 5% of patients.33 Furthermore, it has been estimated that tion of the locoregional extent and staging of the tumor.