The Association between Maxillary Sinus Dimensions and Midface Parameters during Human Postnatal Growth

The aim of the study based on CT images was to assess the age-related changes in maxillary sinus diameters in relation to diameters of the facial skeleton.

The retrospective analysis of CT images of the head of 170 patients aged 0-18 years (85 females and 85 males) was performed. Specific orientation points (zy, zm, pr, ns, n, and P) were identified in every patient and the following distances were measured: zy-zy, maximum facial width; zm-zm, midfacial width; n-pr, upper facial height; ns-pr, alveolar facial height; and ns-P, distance not indicated in craniometry.

The maxillary sinuses of every patient were bilaterally measured in three planes. Three diameters were obtained: maximum transverse (horizontal) diameter called MSW, maximum vertical diameter called MSH, and maximum anteroposterior diameter (length) called MSL. In females, the correlation of MSW, MSH, and MSL and zy-zy, as well as n-pr distances, is very strong. Moreover, the significant correlation was found between all measurements of maxillary sinus and ns-pr as well as ns-P distances in females. The correlation between MSL and all measurements of midface as well as MSH and MSW and all measurements except ns-P is stronger in females than in males. In males, all measurements of maxillary sinus correlate with ns-P distance very strongly.

The statistical analysis (correlation and determination coefficient) showed that all measurements of maxillary sinuses correlate with midface dimensions.