CT characterization of inflammatory paranasal sinus disease in cystic fibrosis

Purpose: In patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) the prevalence of paranasal sinus affection approaches 100%. We hypothesized that the hyperviscous mucus reducing mucociliary clearance in CF patients could give sinonasal inflammatory patterns different from those in non-CF patients. We wanted to compare the extent and distribution of paranasal sinus disease and the inflammatory patterns in these two groups of patients.Material and Methods: One-hundred-and-eight CF patients (3-54 years old) and 79 controls (7-51 years old) with paranasal sinus disease confirmed at coronal CT were compared. The extent of disease was noted for each sinus and summed for all sinuses. Inflammatory patterns were identified and classified into: 1) routine surgery group (sporadic, infundibular and ostiomeatal complex (OMC) patterns) and 2) complex surgery group (sinonasal polyposis and sphenoethmoid recess (SER) patterns).Results: CF patients had more widespread sinonasal inflammatory changes and more advanced disease for each sinus. Most CF patients displayed sinonasal polyposis and SER patterns while most controls displayed sporadic, infundibular or OMC patterns. As a result, 67% of CF patients were classified to the complex surgery group, compared to only 19% of controls.Conclusion: The impaired mucociliary clearance in CF causes widespread inflammatory paranasal sinus disease, with inflammatory patterns more often requiring extensive surgery, with a higher risk of cerebrospinal fluid leak or bleeding, or involving areas that are more difficult to reach with the endoscope.     

慢性鼻炎鼻窦炎的CT表现及分型(附93例分析)

目的　探讨慢性鼻炎鼻窦炎CT表现及分型。方法　收集 93例经临床证实为慢性鼻炎鼻窦炎病人的CT影像资料。结果　慢性鼻炎鼻窦炎分为 6型 :(1 )漏斗型 ,占 1 7% ;(2 )鼻道窦口复合体型 ,占 2 8% ;(3)蝶筛隐窝型 ,占 6 % ;(4)鼻腔鼻窦息肉型 ,占 1 8% ;(5)特发型 ,占 1 4 % ;(6)混合型 ,占 1 6 %。结论　慢性鼻炎鼻窦炎的CT分型对指导鼻内镜手术治疗具有重要价值     

Another CT sign of sinonasal polyposis: truncation of the bony middle turbinate

In order to study the features of sinonasal polyposis (SNP) on CT, 100 consecutive coronasal sinus CT examinations done for chronic inflamamtory sinonasal disease were reviewed. The CT findings of the 27 fully documented SNPs were analyzed. All our SNPs were bilateral. There was a strong tendency for extensive involvement. Nasal polyps were seen in 22 of 27 (81%); bony trabecular deossification in 23 of 27 (85%); widening of infundibulum in 26 of 27(96%). We discovered a new sign truncation of the bony middle turbinate, where the bulbous part of bony middle turbinate was missing, in 51 of 26 (58 %) of SNP patients without a previous history of middle turbinectomy, 12 of 15(80%) were bilateral. The one SNP patient (1 of 27) with previous middle turbinectomy was not regarded to be real truncation. Truncation of the bony middle turbinate is a characteristic and easily recognizable ancillary sign, and is not seen in other patterns of sinusitis. Together with other features on coronal sinus CT, this adds diagnostic confidence in diagnosing sinonasal polyposis. Correspondence to: E. Y. Liang     

Radiological imaging of inflammatory lesions in the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses

Paranasal sinus development and pneumatisation variants are described, and rhinosinusitis and different patterns of inflammatory sinonasal diseases are reviewed. Other inflammatory sinonasal diseases, e.g., fungal sinusitis, mucocele, pyocele and sinonasal manifestations in systemic diseases, are briefly described. Computed tomography (CT) is the primary modality in diagnosing and mapping suspected inflammatory sinonasal disease. Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging is complementary to CT if fungal sinusitis, pyocele or malignancy are suspected.     

缩鼻黏膜药物在慢性鼻炎鼻窦炎性病变CT诊断中应用价值

目的进一步探讨缩鼻黏膜药物在慢性鼻炎鼻窦炎性病变CT诊断中应用价值。方法31例临床疑有鼻炎鼻窦炎患者均经CT冠状位扫描,层厚、层距5mm。首次扫描后,如鼻腔或鼻道有实变,在实变侧鼻孔滴入1％麻黄碱滴鼻液3-4滴,体位引流、擤出鼻涕。再行鼻窦扫描,体位、参数同前。CT表现按照改良法分为6型：Ⅰ型漏斗型,Ⅱ型鼻道窦口复合体型,Ⅲ型蝶筛隐窝型,Ⅳ型息肉型,Ⅴ型特发型,Ⅵ型混合型。结果31例中CT表现为：Ⅰ型、Ⅲ型、Ⅴ型各3例,Ⅱ型8例,Ⅳ型5例,Ⅵ型4例。慢性鼻炎5例,伴有中下鼻甲肥大12例,鼻中隔偏曲9例,上颌窦黏膜下囊肿、右侧筛窦黏液囊肿、霉菌性上颌窦炎各2例。使用滴鼻液前,20例鼻腔或鼻道有分泌物影响观察。使用滴鼻液后,鼻腔、鼻甲黏膜收缩,分泌物排出,可明确判定有无息肉存在。2例用药前后扫捕分型改变。9例用药前后扫描无明显变化。结论在慢性鼻炎鼻窦炎性病变CT扫描前给予缩鼻黏膜药物,使分泌物排出、黏膜收缩,有助于息肉的显示。     

Coronal CT of the paranasal sinuses before and after functional endoscopic sinus surgery

Coronal CT of the paranasal sinuses and the ostiomeatal complex (OMC) was performed before and 12 months after bilateral functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) in 30 patients with sinusitis and 12 patients with nasal polyposis. The extent of sinus mucosal thickening was graded, and the patency of the OMC was evaluated. After FESS, the percentage of open OMCs had increased from 42% to 83% in the sinusitis group, and from 8% to 45% in the polyposis group. There was only a small improvement in mucosal score in sinuses with opened OMC, so that the overall extent of sinus opacification before and after FESS was almost the same. Despite this, 91% of the patients reported clinical relief of symptoms. Preoperative coronal CT of the paranasal sinuses serves as an anatomical map for the surgeon, but there is no benefit of routine postoperative CT.Correspondence to: M. Mantoni     

Sinonasal polyposis: investigation by direct coronal CT

To demonstrate the typical clinical and CT features of sinonasal polyposis, we reviewed the clinical records and preoperativ direct coronal CT scans of 35 patients with surgically proven disease. Symptoms included progressive nasal stuffiness (100%), rhinorrhea (69%), facial pain (60%), headache (43%) and anosmia (17%). We found associations with rhinitis (46%), asthma (29%) and aspirin sensitivity (9%). Coronal CT features included polypoid masses in the nasal cavity (91%), partial or complete pansinus opacification (90%), enlargement of infundibula (89%), bony attenuation of the ethmoid trabeculae (63%) and nasal septum (37%), opacified ethmoid sinuses with convex lateral walls (51%) and air-fluid levels (43%). The latter feature correlated with symptoms and signs of acute sinusitis in only 40% of patients. Recognition of sinonasal polyposis is important to the endoscopic surgeon since it can be the most troubling sinonasal inflammatory disease to manage due to its aggressive nature and tendency to recur despite appropriate treatment.     

Focal Opacification of the Olfactory Recess on Sinus CT: Just an Incidental Finding?

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The CT appearance of the anterior skull base has been investigated but with limited attention directed to the olfactory recess. As defined by opacity abutting the undersurface of the cribriform plate, the prevalence of olfactory recess opacity (ORO) on sinus CT was examined to clarify whether this should raise suspicion for an unsuspected pathologic process.MATERIALS AND METHODS: Outpatient sinus CTs were evaluated for ORO in 500 consecutive patients (mean age, 46.9 years; 52.6% women). On a per-side basis (n = 1000), the presence of surgical changes, inflammatory sinus disease, and concha bullosa was determined by 2 neuroradiologists. Logistic regression was used to examine the association of ORO with these variables.RESULTS: ORO was identified in 59 (11.8%) patients, bilateral in 27 (5.4%), and unilateral in 32 (6.4%). There were 343 of 1000 ethmoid sides that were diseased, and 66 (27.2%) showed ipsilateral ORO. In contrast, only 20 (3.0%) of 657 clear ethmoid sides showed ORO (P < .0001). ORO was significantly (P = .013) more common with previous surgery (18/75; 24.0%) than without (68/925; 7.4%). Ipsilateral concha bullosa was not associated with ORO. Of 32 patients with unilateral ORO, 5 (15.6%) had no ethmoid opacification or previous surgery, and 1 of these patients had an encephalocele causing the ORO. Finally, unilateral ORO was present in only 1 of 122 patients with completely clear sinuses (the encephalocele that was just mentioned).CONCLUSION: ORO is distinctly uncommon without sinonasal inflammation or previous surgery. Isolated unilateral ORO raises suspicion for an underlying neoplasm or cephalocele and warrants further evaluation.

The olfactory recess is located between the nasal septum and the insertion of the vertical portion of the middle turbinate on the anterior skull base. There is a limited body of CT literature dedicated to the anatomy of the olfactory recess, with more extensive studies addressing the variations of adjacent structures such as the cribriform plate and fovea ethmoidalis. These studies have focused primarily on the effect of olfactory recess anatomy on the sense of smell^1,2 and how anatomic variations might pertain to preoperative planning.^3–9 No studies to date have addressed variation in the olfactory recess regarding identification of the circumstances in which it is likely to become opacified.In recent years, we have encountered 2 cases of very subtle esthesioneuroblastoma in which paranasal sinus CT only demonstrated a small amount of focal opacity in the olfactory recess. This prompted our study to determine the prevalence of olfactory recess opacity (ORO) on outpatient CT scans of the paranasal sinuses to determine when this should heighten concern for a pathologic condition such as a small neoplasm or cephalocele.     

The normal topographic and CT-tomographic anatomy of the ostiomeatal complex]

Recent advances in the pathophysiology of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses and the development of endoscopic equipment and techniques have led to a new "functional" surgical management of chronic or recurrent sinusal conditions. The ostiomeatal complex is a narrow and intricate passage way providing aeration and mucus clearance from anterior ethmoid sinus, maxillary sinus and frontal sinus. CT, allowing the detailed demonstration of normal and abnormal patterns of the ostiomeatal complex, permits accurate preoperative planning, which has reduced the number of surgical complications. Ostiomeatal complex anatomy and the corresponding CT features are analyzed, as seen in 85 patients with or without rhinosinusal inflammatory lesions. The CT technique with coronal and axial scans and electronic parasagittal reconstructions, is also reported. Finally, the images obtained on different CT planes are compared, as proposed by other authors.     

Concha bullosa: CT evaluation

Aeration of the middle turbinate, termed "concha bullosa," is a common anatomical variant of intranasal anatomy. Of 320 patients evaluated for sinus disease with coronal CT, 34% had concha bullosa on at least one side. The overall incidence of inflammatory disease in the ostiomeatal complex in these symptomatic patients was not different between those with and without concha bullosa. However, there were many cases in which an abnormally large middle turbinate appeared to obstruct the ostiomeatal complex causing secondary infection of the ethmoid, frontal, and maxillary sinuses. Obstruction of drainage of the concha bullosa itself can lead to mucocele formation. Furthermore, the presence of a concha bullosa has important implications for the technique of endoscopic surgery used in the management of the sinus disease. The anatomy, pathophysiology, and CT findings in patients with concha bullosa are reviewed.     

Optimization of techniques in screening CT of the sinuses

The number of screening examinations of the sinuses performed with CT has markedly increased owing to the widespread and increasing use of endoscopic sinonasal surgery. We reviewed scans from 500 patients who had screening CT examinations of the sinuses for preendoscopic evaluation of inflammatory sinonasal disease to better define an optimal imaging protocol. Three aspects of direct coronal imaging of the paranasal sinuses were investigated: (1) preparation of the patient prior to the examination; (2) technical factors of the CT study, including positioning of the patient, optimal coronal angle, slice thickness, and CT exposure factors; and (3) data display. Our experience indicates that pretreatment of the patient with maximal medical therapy enables the best preendoscopic definition of anatomy, disease pattern, and nonreversible disease component for the treating surgeon. CT technical factors are optimized with scanning in the prone position with thin (3-mm) sections obtained through the anterior paranasal sinuses. This allows optimal visualization of the ostiomeatal unit. The remaining posterior portions of the sinuses are adequately imaged with thicker slices (5 mm). The coronal scan angle used is less critical. Exposure factors (mAs) can be reduced dramatically without image compromise. Data display is optimized when the bone algorithm is used to acquire the data and with image display at intermediate window center and width level. Use of the techniques outlined in this article results in a cost-effective yet diagnostic scan of the sinuses with decreased radiation exposure to the patient.     

Concha bullosa: Frequency and appearances on CT and correlations with sinus disease in 308 patients with chronic sinusitis

The purposes of this study were to determine the prevalence of concha bullosa in patients with chronic sinusitis, to assess the origin of the pneumatisation (from the anterior or posterior ethmoid cells), and to evaluate the significance of the concha bullosa in the genesis of inflammatory sinus disease. We reviewed the CT studies of 308 patients with chronic sinusitis, assigning four grades of pneumatisation: absent, small, medium and large. Unilateral or bilateral concha bullosa was found in 164 patients (53%). In 79% of cases it was pneumatised via the posterior ethmoidal cells and in 21% via the anterior. A small concha bullosa was associated with abnormalities of the maxillary sinus, ethmoidal cells and ostiomeatal unit respectively in 49%, 28% and 34% of cases, whereas with a large concha bullosa the association was 55%, 36% and 41% respectively on the ipsilateral side and 55%, 32% and 41% on the contralateral side. The usually accepted hypothesis that the concha bullosa may contribute to the pathogenesis of inflammatory sinus disease seems doubtful.     

Prospective analysis of CT of the sinuses in acute asthma.

OBJECTIVE: Asthma and sinusitis are both inflammatory diseases of the respiratory epithelium, but to our knowledge no prospective analyses of CT of the sinuses in patients with acute asthma have been performed. The purpose of this study was to investigate the type and extent of abnormalities found on CT of the sinuses in patients with acute asthma. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Sixty-five patients with acute asthma and 62 age-, race-, and sex-matched control subjects were enrolled in the emergency department. Limited coronal sinus CT was performed and scans were interpreted by a radiologist who was unaware of the patient's clinical condition. Scans were analyzed for the presence of mucosal thickening in the sinuses, ostiomeatal complexes, and nasal cavities. Scans were also assigned a CT score for total mucosal thickening. A CT score of 12 or more points indicated extensive disease. RESULTS: Mucosal thickening in the nasal passages (p < .001), ostiomeatal complexes (p < .05), and ethmoidal (p < .05) and sphenoidal sinuses (p < .05) was associated with acute asthma, but maxillary mucosal thickening was not (p = .44). CT scores differed significantly between asthmatic patients (7.7 +/- 0.8 points) and control subjects (4.1 +/- 0.4 points) (p < .001). Nineteen of the 65 asthmatic patients had extensive disease compared with two of the 62 control subjects (p < .001). Thirteen asthmatic patients with extensive disease underwent follow-up CT 5 months later, and 11 of the 13 patients showed improvement in CT score without having undergone specific therapy for sinusitis. CONCLUSION: Mucosal thickening in the nasal passages and sphenoidal, ethmoidal, and frontal sinuses is more common in patients with acute asthma than in control subjects. However, maxillary sinus mucosal thickening is no more common in asthmatic patients than in control subjects.     

Proposal of a CT scoring system of the paranasal sinuses in diagnosing cystic fibrosis

The purpose of this study was to develop a paranasal sinus CT scoring system that could be used as a diagnostic tool to discriminate cystic fibrosis (CF) patients from control patients examined for sinonasal disease. The model should include as few and easily applicable criteria as possible, supported by statistical analyses and clinical judgement. We used data from 116 CF and 136 control patients. The CF patients were grouped according to the number of confirmed CF mutations: genetically verified (CF-2), or based on sweat testing and clinical findings alone (CF-1, CF-0). Nine paranasal sinus CT criteria, including development, pneumatisation variants and inflammatory patterns, were evaluated. The final model included three criteria: (a) frontal and (b) sphenoid sinus development, and (c) absence of three pneumatisation variants. This model discriminated CF-2 from controls with overlap of summed scores in only 8 of 206 patients. When this model was applied in the CF-1 and CF-0 groups, two populations seemed to exist. A larger group with summed scores overlapping that of the CF-2 group and a smaller group with summed scores overlapping that of the control group. We conclude that this CT scoring system may support, as well as exclude, a CF diagnosis in cases of diagnostic uncertainty. Electronic Publication     

冠状CT在窦口鼻道复合体与慢性鼻窦炎相关性研究中的应用

目的：运用冠状ＣＴ技术，研究窦口鼻道复合体，探讨其与慢性鼻窦炎的关系。材料与方法：６６例慢性鼻窦炎患者，男４０例，女２６例。ＣＴ检查采用西门子Ｐｌｕｓ－Ｓ高分辨率ＣＴ系统，进行冠状面成像。结果：ＣＴ清晰显示６６例患者的鼻窦异常改变，通过与２３例正常对照组检查比较，发现正常人与患者的窦口鼻道复合体结构有明显差异（Ｐ＜０．０１）。结论：冠状面ＣＴ可有效显示鼻窦情况，对临床诊治有重要意义。窦口鼻道复合体的解剖变异与鼻窦炎的发生有相关性     

鼻窦真菌病的CT诊断

探讨鼻窦真菌病的ＣＴ表现特征。材料和方法：回顾分析１０３例手术和病理证实的鼻窦真菌病的ＣＴ表现，其中累及上颌窦及蝶窦分别为９３和１０例。结果：病变未充满窦腔５６例（５４．４％），充满窦腔４７例（４５．６．％）。密度不均匀８７例（８４．４％），均匀１６例（１５．６％）。全窦腔受累者，基病变中心密度高于外周密度；病变涉及部分窦腔者显示为中央不规则的高密度软组织团块影伴窦壁黏膜增厚。９３例上颌窦真菌中，     

CT evaluation of nasolacrimal relapse of nasopharyngeal carcinoma

AIM: The aim of the current study was to elucidate the anatomy of the nasolacrimal apparatus using computed tomography (CT), and to investigate the CT findings suggestive of recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) involving the nasolacrimal apparatus. MATERIALS AND METHODS: CT images of five patients with clinical or radiological findings suggestive of recurrent NPC who presented with nasolacrimal involvement were reviewed. Involvement of the lacrimal fossa, nasolacrimal canal (NLC), and adjacent anatomic structures including orbit and sinonasal cavities were noted. RESULTS: CT in all patients demonstrated findings of NLC invasion and ostiomeatal complex obliteration. Four of the five patients showed medial canthal mass or pre-septal thickening, ethmoid bulla opacification and inferior nasal meatal involvement. CONCLUSION: Knowledge of the anatomy of the nasolacrimal apparatus using CT is critical for evaluating images for tumour recurrence at this site. NLC invasion, a medial canthal mass and pre-septal thickening are important primary indicators for potential involvement of the nasolacrimal apparatus by recurrent NPC. Secondary signs suggesting this distinct form of relapse are obliteration of ostiomeatal channel, ethmoid bulla opacification and inferior nasal meatus involvement.     

Evaluation of variations in sinonasal region with computed tomography

AIM: To investigate the frequency of anatomical variations in sinonasal region and association of these variations with mucosal diseases.METHODS: The study included 400 cases (191 female and 209 male) who were considered to have preliminary diagnoses of sinonasal pathology and who had paranasal sinus computed tomography (CT) examination in axial plane. Reformatted CT images were studied in all planes.RESULTS: Age range of the patients was 20-83 (mean 40.26 ± 14.85). Most commonly detected anatomical variation was Agger nasi cell (74.8%). There was a significant association between clinoid process pneumatization and protrusion of internal carotid arteries and optic nerves into sphenoid sinus (P < 0.001). Besides, the relationships between pterygoid process pneumatization and protrusion of vidian nerve into sphenoid sinus, and between pneumatization of large sphenoid wing and protrusion of maxillary nerves into sphenoid sinus were also significant (P < 0.001). Uncinate bulla and giant ethmoid bulla were found to be significantly associated with sinonasal mucosal diseases (P = 0.004 and P = 0.002, respectively).CONCLUSION: Sinonasal region has a great number of variations, and some of them have been determined to be associated with sinonasal mucosal disease. It is necessary to know that some of these variations are associated with protrusion of significant structures such as carotid artery or optic nerve into the sinus and care should be observed in surgeries on patients carrying these variations.     

High-resolution computed tomography with single-slice computed tomography and 16-channel multidetector computed tomography: a comparison regarding visibility and motion artifacts

Background: High-resolution computed tomography is the image procedure of choice in the evaluation of interstitial lung disease. Multidetector-row computed tomography provides the possibility of simultaneous reconstruction of thin and thick slices from the same raw data, acquired from one single series. Thus, it may be tempting to exclude the step-and-shoot series.

Purpose: To compare high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT step-and-shoot) from single-slice CT (SSCT) and 16-channel multidetector CT (MDCT) in terms of visibility and motion artifacts, and to investigate whether thin images reconstructed from helical MDCT are equal to or better than conventional HRCT by SSCT in terms of visibility and motion artifacts.

Material and Methods: 20 patients underwent HRCT step-and-shoot by SSCT (SSCT step-and-shoot) and MDCT (MDCT step-and-shoot), and a helical MDCT acquisition (MDCT helical). Images from four anatomical levels were analyzed in random order regarding visibility and motion artifacts.

Results: Visibility using MDCT step-and-shoot was significantly better than or equal to SSCT step-and-shoot for segmental bronchi and fissures, but not for subsegmental bronchi. For MDCT helical, visibility was equal to or better than SSCT step-and-shoot for segmental bronchi, but not for fissures and subsegmental bronchi. Concerning motion artifacts, MDCT step-and-shoot and MDCT helical were significantly better than or equal to SSCT step-and-shoot.

Conclusion: The image quality (accounting for motion artifacts and visibility) of SSCT step-and-shoot and MDCT step-and-shoot is comparable. The visibility of anatomic structures in images from MDCT helical is inferior to HRCT step-and-shoot.     

Sinus Disease Grading on Computed Tomography Before and After Modulating Therapy in Adult Patients with Cystic Fibrosis

Objectives:Cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) modulator therapy effects on respiratory function, pulmonary exacerbations and quality of life have been well documented. However, CFTR modulator therapy effects on sinus disease have not been so well reported. A previous study reported that ivacaftor improves appearance of sinus disease on Computed Tomography (CT) in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients with G551D mutation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of CFTR modulator therapy in sinus disease using CT scores in a wider CF patient population.Materials and Methods:Forty-eight adult patients with CF underwent at least one CT sinus examination before CFTR modulator therapy (ivacaftor, lumacaftor, ivacaftor/lumacaftor or elexcaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor) and one CT sinus examination one year after CFTR modulator therapy initiation. Two radiologists assessed the images in consensus. The Lund-Mackay score (LM score) and the Sheikh-Lind CT sinus disease severity scoring system (SL score) were used. The 22-item SinoNasal Outcome Test (SNOT-22) questionnaire was evaluated before CFTR modulator therapy and one year after CFTR modulator therapy initiation.Results:CT sinus examination after CFTR modulator therapy showed statistically significant lower mean LM, SL and SNOT-22 scores than CT sinus examination before CFTR modulator therapy (p < 0.001).Conclusion:Evolution of imaging findings on CT during follow-up closely correlate with improved SNOT-22 score one year after CFTR modulator therapy initiation, indicating that CT may be a useful adjunct during follow-up of CF patients under this treatment as an objective measure of sinonasal disease improvement.