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Eosinophilic fungal rhinosinusitis (EFRS): a distinct CT/MRI-entity? A European experience
S Vlaminck1, J Casselman, K De Groef
1Department of Otorhinolaryngology, St-Jan General Hospital, Bruges, Belgium. stephan.vlaminck@azbrugge.be
Objective:
To determine the value of radiological features in the diagnosis of Eosinophilic Fungal Rhinosinusitis (EFRS).
Study Design:
Retrospective review of the radiological materials of 65 patients with documented Eosinophilic Fungal Rhinosinusitis treated at the same institution.
Methods:
Evaluation by the ENT surgeon and the head and neck radiologist.
Results:
EFRS was more common in female patients in this series. Fifty-four (83%) patients were above 30 years of age, with a peak of 18 patients (27.7%) in the seventh decade. All the patients except one (98.5%) showed bilateral mucosal thickening on unenhanced CT scans. Thirty-eight patients (58%) showed increased intrasinus attenuation on unenhanced CT scans. Thirty-seven patients (57%) showed opacification of at least one sinus; 25 (38%) showed osteitis; 11 (17%) had erosion of the sinus wall and only one patient showed minor expansion of an involved sinus. In 6 patients, typical hyperattenuation patterns on CT scans, together with distinctive MRI images, were highly suggestive of EFRS.
Conclusion:
Our data show that hyperattenuation on CT images with bone window settings suggests the presence of EFRS. This hyperattenuation is more clearly seen with soft-tissue window settings. When necessary, adjunctive MRI can provide information which might be highly predictive for the diagnosis of EFRS. However, non-specific imaging findings of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) should also be seen as possible EFRS pathology.