Imaging of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses

The CT examination in the coronal plane is the optimal imaging modality to evaluate the nasal cavity and the paranasal sinuses, especially for evaluating chronic inflammatory disease. This modality affords optimal display of the osteomeatal channels and best defines the extent of mucoperiosteal disease. Updated parameters for scanning afford a significant reduction of radiation. MR imaging supersedes CT in its ability to distinguish between inflammatory and neoplastic pathology and appears to be the optimal imaging modality for diagnosis of fungal sinusitis.