Nasopharynx and Skull Base

How many times have the terms “sinonasal” and “nasopharyngeal” been incorrectly interchanged on requisition sheets? This chapter offers more examples that emphasize the importance of anatomic and clinicoradiographic correlation in arriving at a correct diagnosis. A “hairy polyp” may appear quite unimpressive until you realize it’s not a dermal lesion. A biopsy from an ectopic pituitary adenoma or macroadenoma may lead you down the incorrect path of sinonasal neuroendocrine carcinoma, a biopsy from a craniopharyngioma may have you thinking about an ameloblastoma, an ecchordosis physaliphora can mimic chordoma. In this cost conscious era where pathologists need be more time efficient, and use fewer immunohistochemical resources, less anatomic and clinical information is not an option.