The paranasal sinuses before and after radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma: a computed tomographic study

A study comparing the pre- and post-radiotherapy computed tomographic scans of patients treated for nasopharyngeal carcinoma revealed that the incidence of major mucosal abnormality was significantly increased and approximately doubled after radiotherapy. The most significant factor predicting major mucosal abnormality after radiotherapy was the presence of tumour in the sinus before treatment. In the maxillary sinus there was significant association of major mucosal abnormality before and after radiotherapy although this was not so for the other sinuses. The mucosal changes observed were evident as early as six months after radiotherapy.