Evaluation of Anatomical Variations Associated with Chronic Rhinosinusitis by Computed Tomography of Paranasal Sinuses.

BACKGROUND

Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is a syndrome with multifactorial aetiology. Amongst which, anatomical variations studied by computed tomography of paranasal sinuses (CT PNS) had a high incidence which varied between 64.0% and 99.8%. Due to such high incidence, this study is undertaken to assess the various anatomical variations and their significant association in CRS.

METHOD

A prospective observational study was conducted in 70 CRS patients and were subjected to CT PNS. CT PNS is studied to know the various anatomical variations & other CT findings causing CRS and then findings noted down, tabulated and statistical analysis done.

RESULTS

All 70 CRS patients evaluated by CT PNS had one or more anatomical variations along with other findings like fungal sinusitis in 6 patients, dentigerous cyst and inverted papilloma in 1 case each. The anatomical variations observed in our study were septal deviation(62.8%), concha bullosa(52.8%), agger nasi(51.4%), pneumatized crista galli(47.1%), hyperpneumatized bulla(40%), suprabullar cells(37%), septal spur(34.3%), paradoxically curved middle turbinate(34.2%), supra orbital cells(32.8%), haller cells(31.4%), septal pneumatization(17.1%), pneumatized uncinate(13%), interfrontal septal pneumatization(13%), maxillary septations(10%), maxillary sinus hypoplasia(7.1%), frontal hypoplasia(5.7%), uncinate attached to lamina papyracea(40%), uncinate to middle turbinate(11%), uncinate to skull base(7.9%), free uncinate(41%), frontal cells type 1;2;3;4 (36%);(30%);(20%);(38.5%), onodi cells(27.1%), pneumatized anterior clinoid process(18.5%), lateral recess(15.7%), sphenoid septations attached to optic nerve(10%) and carotid(2.8%), pneumatized superior turbinate(1.4%), Sellar; Pre sellar; Post sellar sphenoid(42.8%);(5.7%);(51.4%). In our study only anatomical variations around the maxillary & Frontal sinus showed significant association with CRS.

CONCLUSION

Anatomical variations around the anterior group of sinuses have a significant association with CRS.