RESUMO
Objetive: To describe the local and regional anatomical spread and growing pattern of the sinonasal malignant tumors based on pretreatment CT and MRI findings. Material, patients and methods: The current study was performed as a retrospective clinical series that includes 21 patients studied and treated in MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas. Anatomical analisis was performed based in CT and MRI findings. Results: Here is described in detail the growing pattern of sinonasal malignancies and the corresponding secondarily affected structures. Conclusion: The sinonasal malignancies mainly affects elderly people, corresponding to carcinomas, arising frequently from the maxilary sinus that compromises the suprastructure and secondarily involves the pterigopalatine fossa, orbits and nasal cavity. Imaging based anatomical mapping of the tumoral spread leads the desition of resectability and focuses the attention in possible areas of recurrence