Radiologic Features of Chronic Rhinosinusitis in Sagamu

Abstract

To present the plain X ray features of chronic rhinosinusitis seen at Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu. Retrospective analysis of the plain X-rays of the paranasal sinuses of patients with clinical features of rhinosinusitis of at least 12 weeks duration, managed between 2002 and 2006. The data was analysed using SPSS version 10.0 and the results presented in simple descriptive form. There were one hundred and ten (110) patients M: F =1:1.04 The average age was 38.92 years The duration of symptoms ranged from 3 months (13weeks) to 16.25 years, (average of 2.81 years). The plain X rays were reported as normal in 29.09% while the remaining 70.91% had abnormal findings. 85.90% with positive radiological findings had demonstrable features in their nasal cavities. The maxillary sinus had the highest proportion of abnormalities (70.51%) while sphenoid sinus was the least (0%) involved sinus. 21.79% of the patients had multisinusitis and 5.13% had pansinusitis. The common radiological features seen in the sinuses were haziness, mucosal thickening (maxillary), and opacities (ethmoidal and frontal). Plain X rays remain relevant in the evaluation of patients with suspected chronic rhinosinusitis in the developing countries at least as a preliminary investigation.

Keywords: Chronic rhinosinusitis, Paranasal sinuses, Plain X-rays, Radiologic features

Nigerian Medical Practitioner Vol. 54 (2) 2008: pp. 28-31