Role of imaging in the diagnosis of parapharyngeal and adjacent neck space lesions

Introduction:

Parapharyngeal space is a suprahyoid neck space. It is surrounded by other important facial spaces. Old text books divided this space into prestyloid and post stymoid compartments. The prestyloid compartment lying infront of the styloid process and the post styloid one lying behind it. Current literature designates post styloid compartment as carotid space and the prestyloid compartment is considered to be the true parapharyngeal space. The parapharyngeal space contains fat. This is clearly visible in imaging and displacement of fat indirectly helps the radiologist to identify and quantify the extent of lesions involving parapharyngeal space. Parapharyngeal space is a hidden area that cannot be easily examined. Lesions of this space present rather late and in advanced stage. A surgeon will have to resort to imaging in order to visualize this area. 

Paraph Imaging