[Epidural empyema and orbital phlegmon. Computerized tomographic diagnosis of rare complications of sinusitis]

Among 4019 computed tomograms of the head performed in 2 years we found 2 epidural empyemas combined with an ipsilateral orbital phlegmon and one periorbital abscess with an incipient orbital phlegmon. In all 3 patients they turned out to be intracranial or orbital complications of an adjacent paranasal sinusitis. The CT diagnosis was a guideline for further therapy and was verified by immediate surgery. The reliable diagnosis of orbital and intracranial space-occupying lesions makes CT the radiological method of choice in case of suspicion of a complicated sinusitis.