Imaging of sinonasal inflammatory disease

Area of Science:

• Radiology
• Otolaryngology
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Imaging for sinonasal inflammatory disease has evolved with chronic sinusitis treatment.
• Functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) is increasingly common.
• Coronal CT has replaced plain radiography as the main imaging method.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the importance of coronal CT in sinonasal disease imaging.
• To emphasize the critical role of anatomical knowledge in interpreting CT scans for FESS.
• To define the current applications of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in sinonasal conditions.

Main Methods:

• Review of imaging modalities for sinonasal inflammatory disease.
• Focus on coronal computed tomography (CT) in the context of FESS.
• Discussion of sinonasal anatomical variations and their surgical implications.

Main Results:

• Coronal CT is the primary imaging modality for sinonasal inflammatory disease.
• Knowledge of sinonasal anatomical variations is essential for interpreting CT scans.
• MRI is reserved for complex sinusitis, intracranial/intraorbital complications, and neoplasms.

Conclusions:

• Coronal CT is indispensable for evaluating sinonasal inflammatory disease and guiding FESS.
• Understanding anatomical variations is critical for safe and effective endoscopic sinus surgery.
• MRI plays a specialized role in advanced sinonasal pathology assessment.