Maxillary sinus volume: new physiopathological data in fungal ball genesis? A retrospective study

The goal of this study was to compare maxillary sinus (MS) volume in patients with, or without, maxillary fungal ball.

Monocentric retrospective study performed on 115 patient CT scans.

We defined two groups of patients according to the absence (control group) or the presence (fungal ball group) of unilateral fungal ball in the MS. Sinus 3D reconstruction was created from CT scan.

Control group: 71 patients (36 women - 50.7%); mean age was 51 years. Fungal ball group: 44 patients (29 women - 65.9%); mean age was 54.5 years.

The univariate association between MS volume and sinus covariates was tested by anova. Multivariate analysis was made including all variables statistically significant in univariate analysis.

In the control group, mean MS volume was 14 766 mm³ . The volumes of the two MSs were not statistically different in the control group (P = 0.145). In the fungal ball group, mean MS volume was 15 982 mm³ . Fungal ball was found in the smallest MS in 41 of 44 cases. Univariate analysis showed a statistical difference between the pathological and the non-pathological MS volumes (P < 10^-4 ). Multivariate analysis confirmed the correlation between MS volume and the presence of a fungal ball (P < 10^-4 ).

This study suggests that maxillary fungal ball is associated with a smaller size of the affected MS.