Computerized tomography or paranasal sinus neoplasms.

Computerized tomography represents a new and valuable diagnostic tool to the otolaryngologist and head and neck surgeon in several ever-increasing aspects of his clinical practice. This report presents CT scans utilizing the E.M.I 5005 body scanner on patients with neoplasms of the paranasal sinuses presenting to the Head and Neck Service of The University of Texas System Center M. D. Anderson Hospital and Tumor Institute. Only patients undergoing surgical resection of such lesions are included so that actual operative and surgical pathological findings can be used for critical comparison of diagnostic information derived from polytomography and computerized tomography. Seven illustrative cases are presented. In general, computerized tomography has been found to be equal to polytomography in assessing bone destruction or involvement by tumor, and superior to polytomography in determining accurately the soft tissue extent of disease. CT scanning, however, has been found to have limitations in the delineation of soft tissue disease in areas of high contrast in tissue density, and in the evaluation of possible intracranial tumor extension in isodense, avascular lesions.