Cone-Beam Computed Tomography Analysis of Mucosal Thickening in Unilateral Cleft Lip and Palate Maxillary Sinuses

To compare maxillary mucosal thickening and sinus volumes of unilateral cleft lip and palate subjects (UCLP) with noncleft (nonCLP) controls.

Randomized, retrospective study of cone-beam computed tomographs (CBCT).

University.

Fifteen UCLP subjects and 15 sex- and age-matched non-CLP controls, aged 8 to 14 years.

Following institutional review board approval and reliability tests, Dolphin three-dimensional imaging software was used to segment and slice maxillary sinuses on randomly selected CBCTs. The surface area (SA) of bony sinus and airspace on all sinus slices was determined using Dolphin and multiplied by slice thickness (0.4 mm) to calculate volume. Mucosal thickening was the difference between bony sinus and airspace volumes. The number of slices with bony sinus and airspace outlines was totaled. Right and left sinus values for each group were pooled (t tests, P > .05; n = 30 each group). All measures were compared (principal components analysis, multivariate analysis of variance, analysis of variance) by group and age (P ≤ .016 was considered significant).

Principal components analysis axis 1 and 2 explained 89.6% of sample variance. Principal components analysis showed complete separation based on the sample on axis 1 only. Age groups showed some separation on axis 2. Unilateral cleft lip and palate subjects had significantly smaller bony sinus and airspace volumes, fewer bony and airspace slices, and greater mucosal thickening and percentage mucosal thickening when compared with controls. Older subjects had significantly greater bony sinus and airspace volumes than younger subjects.

Children with UCLP have significantly more maxillary sinus mucosal thickening and smaller sinuses than controls.