CT findings in general practice patients with suspected acute sinusitis

Area of Science:

• Radiology
• Otolaryngology
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Acute sinusitis is a common condition diagnosed in general practice.
• Computed tomography (CT) is frequently used to evaluate paranasal sinus disease.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze CT findings in general practice patients with clinically suspected acute sinusitis.
• To assess interobserver variability between two radiologists in CT evaluation of acute sinusitis.

Main Methods:

• Coronal CT images of the paranasal sinuses were obtained for 201 patients within two days of clinical diagnosis.
• Patients with chronic sinusitis were excluded from the study.
• Sinusitis was evidenced by fluid level or total opacification in any sinus region.

Main Results:

• CT confirmed sinusitis in 127 patients (63%), with most exhibiting involvement in multiple sinus regions.
• The ethmoid sinus was most commonly affected (115 patients), followed by the maxillary (84), frontal (18), and sphenoid (10).
• Interobserver agreement for overall CT assessment yielded a substantial kappa value of 0.70.

Conclusions:

• CT imaging demonstrates significant variability in findings for suspected acute sinusitis in general practice.
• Ethmoid and maxillary sinuses were the most frequently affected combination.
• Substantial interobserver agreement was achieved in the CT evaluation of acute sinusitis.