Incidentalomas in Paranasal Sinus Computed Tomographic Imaging: Frequency and Characteristics

Area of Science:

• Radiology
• Otolaryngology
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Increasing patient access to radiology reports leads to more incidental findings.
• Incidental findings on paranasal sinus CT scans pose a growing challenge for clinicians.
• This study investigates the frequency and nature of these findings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the frequency and characteristics of incidental findings on paranasal sinus computed tomography (CT) scans.
• To determine the types and locations of incidental findings.
• To examine associations between incidental findings and patient demographics like age and sex.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 1000 paranasal sinus CT scan reports from 2021.
• Incidental findings defined as unexpected results not typically managed by otolaryngologists.
• Categorization of findings by location and etiology, with statistical analysis for age and sex correlations.

Main Results:

• 38.5% of scans had at least one incidental finding, averaging 1.5 per scan.
• Common findings included dental (34.8%), vascular (19.9%), and intracranial (15.3%).
• Older age was significantly associated with incidental findings (P < .001), while sex was not (P = .583). 3.4% were potentially serious.

Conclusions:

• Incidental findings are frequent on sinus CT scans but rarely clinically serious.
• Age is a significant factor associated with incidental findings.
• Improved systems for assessing clinical significance are needed to reduce patient and clinician burden.