CT scan in coronal plane shows a large lesion 

CT scan in coronal plane shows a large lesion 

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CT is the initial imaging of choice for patients with symptoms of inflammatory paranasal sinus disease. N The aim of imaging the paranasal sinuses is to confirm diagnosis, localize the disease, characterize the extent of pathology and describe any anatomical variations. N An understanding of the anatomy is important for surgical planning and some n...

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... In the osteomeatal complex (OMC) pattern, uncinatectomy with possible maxillary antrostomy and ethmoidectomy are the standard treatment (Figure 11). For frontal recess inflammatory pattern, external frontoethmoidectomy and FESS techniques to relieve the obstruction can be used. For sphenoethmoidal recess pattern, the aim is to enlarge the sphenoid ostium and establish drainage. Techniques include external approaches but endoscopic surgery with possible image guidance is used in specialist centres. For sinonasal polyposis pattern, surgical options include endoscopic polypectomy, FESS or sphenoethmoidectomy [24–26]. In patients with recurrent symptoms post surgery, imaging plays a role in assessing the extent of FESS, detecting complications and demonstrating residual patterns of disease. Where relevant, the radiologist should focus on the patency of the inferior frontal sinus drainage pathway, including lateralization of the middle turbinate and persisting agger nasi cells. The complete- ness of uncinatectomy should be assessed and particularly whether it has been performed too far posteriorly. The extent of ethmoidectomy and any post-operative synechiae obstructing sinus drainage should be recorded. Persistent sinus opacification may also result from viscous secretions. When repeat FESS is considered, there should also be careful examination of the integrity of the middle turbinate attachment to the anterior skull base (as there may be dehiscence post-turbinatectomy) and whether there is any defect within the lamina papyracea. Clearly there is role for imaging if there are overt complications such as cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak, orbital injury or haemorrhage. There are various different types of fungal infection. This is mainly classified as non-invasive and invasive forms. Non-invasive forms include mycetoma and allergic fungal sinusitis. Mycetoma or a fungus ball usually affects a single sinus and it demonstrates a focal lesion with areas of high density and possible calcification. Calcification associated with fungal infection is reported to be more frequently central and punctate as opposed to curvilinear and peripheral calcifications associated with chronic non-fungal secretions (Figure 12). On MRI it demonstrates low signal on T 1 but can be heterogeneous and low signal on T 2 . Allergic fungal sinusitis characteristically demonstrates multiple sinus opacification with hyperdense material on CT and sinus expansion (Figure 13). There is often a preserved rim of hypodense mucosa. Benign bony remodelling, resorption and erosion into adjacent structures can be seen. It is commonly associated with sinonasal polyposis. In invasive forms, there is extension outside the sinus lumen with involvement of the blood vessels, bone erosion and possible orbital and intracranial extension [27, 28]. It usually, but not exclusively, occurs in diabetics and other immunocompromised patients. Three invasive forms were proposed by deShazo: granulomatous, acute fulminant and chronic invasive [29]. CT findings are non-specific but typically show sinus opacification with bony erosion and soft tissue infiltration. Systemic diseases can involve the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses. The imaging features of Wegener’s granulomatosis are initially non-specific but later on, there is typical sinonasal mass with septal perforation and non-septal bone erosion (Figure 14). The lateral nasal wall can be involved. There may be extension through the hard palate and to the orbit, deep facial spaces, nasopharynx and the skull base. The turbinates often appear truncated and shortened. In the chronic phase, the sinus walls often become thickened and a double cortical line with central marrow can be seen. The imaging differential diagnoses include sarcoidosis, cocaine and other inhaled irritants and lymphoma. Rarer causes of granulomatous infection include leprosy, syphilis and tuberculosis. Nasal tubes result in impairment of sinonasal drainage. This results in a diagnostic dilemma in a septic patient in whom other sources of sepsis have been excluded. CT or MRI is not diagnostic and sinus aspiration may be required. Retention cysts and solitary polyps are usually asymptomatic and found incidentally and are regarded as complications of inflammatory sinusitis [30, 31]. Retention cysts are common, particularly in the maxillary sinuses, and are of little significance unless they are causing obstruction to the mucociliary clearance [32, 33]. Sporadic polyps are also commonly asymptomatic and found incidentally. On imaging, these retention cysts and polyps appear as soft tissue masses with a smooth convex border. Desiccated polyps may demonstrate increased CT density. The signal intensity on MRI is dependent on the water and protein content. When an inflammatory polyp arises from the maxillary antrum and herniates through a major or accessory ostium into the nasal cavity and to the postnasal space, this is termed an antrochoanal polyp (Figure 15). On imaging, a large dumbbell shaped low density mass with widening of the maxillary ostium extending to the nasal cavity is characteristic [34, 35]. Nasochoanal, ethmochoanal and sphenochoanal polyps are rare [36, 37]. The sinonasal structures maybe expanded by polypoid masses and obstructed secretions and there is benign bone remodelling or erosion (Figure 16). Aggressive polyposis can extend into adjacent structures. The ethmoid sinus walls often become thin and can be barely visible. The maxillary infundibulum and ostium is widened if the polyps extend from the maxillary sinuses. Concurrent fungal infection is common. With an obstructed sinus ostium from trauma, previous surgery, polyps or chronic rhinosinusitis, an opacified expanded sinus or mucocoele can result. The sinus shows benign bony remodelling presumably from pressure erosion. The frontal sinuses are most commonly affected followed by the ethmoid and maxillary sinuses. If there is superimposed infection this is called a pyocoele. On CT, a low density airless sinus with smooth bony wall expansion is diagnostic [33]. On MRI the signal intensity depends on the water and proteinaceous content (Figure 17). There may be a thin rim of enhancement as opposed to an expansile tumour which will demonstrate internal enhancement. Mimics of inflammatory disease should also be considered [8]. In unilateral sinus opacification, particularly in the OMC, a middle meatal mass needs to be excluded and direct inspection of the middle meatus should be suggested. Odontogenic origin of infection can extend to the maxillary sinus and cause an OMC pattern of disease. With nasal septum pathology and bilateral advanced disease, a systemic cause should be considered. The pattern of bone involvement may be helpful in formulating a differential diagnosis. Bony sclerosis is usually associated with a chronic relapsing process (or previous surgery) and this is typically infective. A destructive pattern of bony involvement is rarely seen with inflammatory conditions such as fungal or granulomatous infection and is usually seen with carcinoma (Figure 18a,b), metastases, some sarcomas and some lymphomas. This should be distinguished from the pressure deossification at the advancing edge of an expansile slower growing lesion which will typically demonstrate some bony remodelling at its margins. This pattern is found with inflammatory lesions such as mucoceles and polyps but may be seen with slower growing tumours such as melanomas, plasmocytomas and slower growing sarcomas (Figure 18c). If a bony defect is seen in the anterior skull base adjacent to a lesion, then a cephalocele should also be excluded (Figure 19). The presence of calcification usually signifies a chronic inflammatory process (Figure 12) particularly if more discrete. However, if present within a tumour, it is suggestive of particular neoplasms such as chondrosarcoma or olfactory neuroblastoma. Choanal atresia is the most common congenital abnormality of the nasal cavity. It can be unilateral (more common) or bilateral, bony (more common) or membranous [38]. In bilateral disease, it causes respiratory distress in the newborn. CT would show narrowing of the posterior nasal cavity at the level of the choana with obstruction from a membranous or osseous cause. There is often thickening of the vomer. Nasolacrimal duct dacrocystocoeles represent a cystic dilatation of the nasolacrimal apparatus secondary to obstruction of the nasolacrimal duct [39]. Bilateral medial canthal cystic masses are characteristic. Piriform aperture stenosis is a rare condition in which there is bony narrowing of the anterior nasal cavity. It is associated with holoprosencephaly or other anomalies. There is often a central mega-incisor [40]. Cephaloceles are congenital herniations of neural tissue (brain, CSF, meninges) through a mesodermal defect in the anterior skull. There are three main types – frontonasal, nasoethmoidal and naso-orbital cephalocoeles [41]. A defective anterior neuropore may also result in a dermal sinus tract, dermoid or nasal glioma (an extracranial rest of glial tissue rather than a neoplasm) in the frontonasal region. A frontonasal dermoid maybe associated with CT evidence of a bifid crista galli with a large foramen caecum and a sinus or cyst in the frontonasal region [42] (Figure 20). MRI is used to identify any intracranial extension of a dermoid which may be purely extradural or extend between the leaves of the falx. A wide variety of neoplasms, both benign and malignant, may arise in the sinonasal cavity. They are generally rare, particularly relative to ubiquitous inflammatory disease. The imaging appearances of the major categories will be discussed. CT and MRI are often complementary in the staging of these tumours, with CT being more sensitive to bone changes and MRI providing superior soft tissue contrast. The morphology of the tumour, enhancement pattern and pattern of bony involvement may also ...

Citations

... Additionally, routine imaging of the nasal masses does not allow pathological grading or distinguish between the various pathological types of nasal neoplasms. 1 Diffusion weighted image (DWI) is a noninvasive technique which analyzes the structures of biologic tissues at a microscopic level. Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) value, ob-tained from DWI, has been utilized to detect the differences in the microstructures of tumor tissues and non-tumor tissues. ...
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Introduction Appearance of nasal masses on routine CT and MRI are not pathognomonic. We utilized the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) value obtained from diffusion weighted image (DWI) to detect the differences in the microstructures of tumor and non-tumor tissues. Objective The objective of our study was to evaluate the diagnostic role of DWI and ADC values in differentiating between malignant and benign sinonasal lesions and its correlation with histopathological results as the reference standard. Methods Patients with nasal and / or paranasal mass underwent CT, MRI, and DWI before any surgical intervention. We used diagnostic sinonasal endoscopy and biopsy to confirm the diagnosis after MRI. Results When we used ADC value of (1.2 × 10–3 mm2/s) as a cut-off value for differentiating benign from malignant sinonasal lesions, we achieved 90% accuracy, 100% sensitivity, 88.4% specificity, 77.8% positive predictive value, and 100% negative predictive value. At this cut-off, benign lesions show statistically significant higher ADC value than malignant tumors. Conclusion DW MRI and ADC value calculation are promising quantitative methods helping to differentiate between malignant and benign sinonasal lesions. Thus, they are effective methods compared with other conventional methods with short imaging time thus it is recommended to be incorporated into routine evaluations.
... Some malignant tumors may be as slow-growing as benign lesions, while some benign lesions extend into adjacent structures, mimicking malignancies. Also, routine imaging of nasal masses does not allow pathological grading or distinguish between the various pathological types of tumors [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8]. ...
... Different MRI pulse sequences and CT scans are useful for the evaluation of tumor extent. However, they cannot accurately differentiate malignant tumors from benign lesions in some cases [1][2][3][4][5]19]. ...
... The grade of a malignant tumor gives an idea of the tumor's prognosis [1][2][3][4]. Sumi et al. [23] reported that the ADCs of poorly differentiated and undifferentiated carcinomas (0.691 ± 0.149 × 10 −3 mm 2 /s) were significantly lower than those of moderately differentiated and welldifferentiated carcinomas (0.971 ± 0.221 × 10 −3 mm 2 /s) of the pharynx. Abdel Razek et al. [18] reported that the mean ADC value of poorly differentiated malignant tumors was lower than that of well-differentiated malignant pediatric head-and-neck tumors (P < 0.03). ...
Article
To assess nasal and paranasal sinus masses by diffusion-weighted echoplanar magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This prospective study included 55 consecutive patients (34 males, 21 females; aged 14-64 years, mean 39 years) with nasal and paranasal sinus masses. All underwent diffusion-weighted MRI using single-shot echoplanar imaging (EPI) with a b factor of 0.500 and 1000 s/mm2. Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) maps were constructed, allowing ADC values of the mass to be calculated and correlated with histopathological findings. The mean ADC value of nasal and paranasal sinus malignant lesions (1.10+/-0.25x10(-3) mm2/s) was significantly different (P=0.001) from that of benign lesions (1.78+/-0.41x10(-3) mm2/s). Also, there was a significant ADC difference between carcinoma and sarcoma (P=0.01) as well as between well differentiated and poorly differentiated malignancies (P=0.005). Using an ADC value of 1.53x10(-3) mm2/s as the threshold value for differentiating malignant from benign lesions, the best result obtained had an accuracy of 93%, sensitivity of 94%, specificity of 92%, a positive predictive value of 92% and negative predictive value of 94%. However, the use of 0.97x10(-3) mm2/s and 1.16x10(-3) mm2/s as threshold values to differentiate carcinomas from sarcomas and poorly differentiated malignancy, respectively, gave the best results. The ADC value is a non-invasive imaging parameter that can be used to assess nasal and paranasal sinus masses, as it can help in the differentiation of malignant tumors from benign lesions, and in the characterization and grading of malignancies.
... Some malignant tumors may be as slow-growing as benign lesions, while some benign lesions extend into adjacent structures, mimicking malignancies. Also, routine imaging of nasal masses does not allow pathological grading or distinguish between the various pathological types of tumors [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8]. ...
... Different MRI pulse sequences and CT scans are useful for the evaluation of tumor extent. However, they cannot accurately differentiate malignant tumors from benign lesions in some cases [1][2][3][4][5]19]. ...
... The grade of a malignant tumor gives an idea of the tumor's prognosis [1][2][3][4]. Sumi et al. [23] reported that the ADCs of poorly differentiated and undifferentiated carcinomas (0.691 ± 0.149 × 10 −3 mm 2 /s) were significantly lower than those of moderately differentiated and welldifferentiated carcinomas (0.971 ± 0.221 × 10 −3 mm 2 /s) of the pharynx. Abdel Razek et al. [18] reported that the mean ADC value of poorly differentiated malignant tumors was lower than that of well-differentiated malignant pediatric head-and-neck tumors (P < 0.03). ...
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PURPOSE To assess nasal and paranasal sinus mass with diffusion weighted echoplanar MR imaging. METHOD AND MATERIALS Prospective study was conducted on 55 consecutive patients (34M, 21F aged 14-64 ys: mean 51ys) with nasal and paranasal sinus mass. They underwent diffusion weighted MR imaging using a single shot echo planar imaging with a b-factor of 0,500 and 1000 sec/mm2. The scanning parameters were: TR= 10000 ms, TE=108ms, NEX=8-16, bandwidth=125 kHz, FOV= 25-30cm, slice thickness =4 mm. Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) map was reconstructed. The ADC value of the nasal mass was calculated and correlated with surgical findings or biopsy. RESULTS The mean ADC value of nasal and paranasal sinus malignancy was 1.02±0.13X 10-3 mm2/sec in squamous cell carcinoma, 1.72±0.12X 10-3 mm2/sec in adenoid cystic carcinoma, 0.86±0.07X 10-3 mm2/sec in sarcomas. The mean ADC value of benign lesions was 1.47±0.07X 10-3 mm2/sec in granuloma, 1.68±0.06X 10-3 mm2/sec in inverted papilloma, 1.57±0.11X 10-3 mm2/sec in juvenile angiofibroma and 1.77±0.11X 10-3 mm2/sec in inflammatory polypoidal lesions. There was statistically difference in mean ADC values between malignant tumors and benign lesions (p<0.021) and within the malignant tumor (P<0.04). When apparent diffusion coefficient value of 1.27 X 10-3 mm2/sec was used as a threshold value for differentiating of malignant tumors from benign lesions, the best result was obtained with an accuracy of 95%, sensitivity 89%, specificity 96%, positive predictive value 92% and negative predictive value of 83%. CONCLUSION Apparent diffusion coefficient value is a new non-invasive imaging parameter that can be used for assessment of nasal and paranasal sinus mass as it helps in differentiation malignant tumors from benign lesions. CLINICAL RELEVANCE/APPLICATION Diffusion weighted MR added a new information for differentiation of malignant nasal and paranasal sinus tumors from benign lesions. So, it is recommended to be added to routine MR imaging.
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A precise nomenclature and terminology is the foundation of communication in Anatomy and related biomedical sciences. The olfactory bulbs and nerves lie above and below the cribriform plate (CP), respectively. Hence, many anatomical landmarks in this region have names adopting the term “olfactory” as qualifiers. Ambiguous use of these “olfactory” terms exists, with some potential repercussions on patient treatments. We performed a publication database analysis to determine the frequency of misuse of names for seven anatomical “olfactory” spaces close to the CP and nasal cavity. We searched PubMed® publications having the keyword “olfactory” in their title or abstract, plus one of seven other keywords: “groove”, “fossa”, “recess”, “cleft”, “vestibule”, “sulcus”, and “cistern”. We reviewed all abstracts for accuracy of these terms relative to accepted norms or customary definitions. By February 2020, we found all these keywords in 1255 articles. For the terms olfactory “groove” and “fossa”, the number of relevant articles (and percentage of those inaccurately using these terms) were 374 (1.1%), and 49 (8.2%), respectively. All 52 abstracts containing “olfactory” and “vestibule” were irrelevant, relating to the “nasal vestibule” and olfactory function, instead of “olfactory vestibule”. Overall, terms used to describe “olfactory” spaces near the CP are seldom ambiguous or inaccurate, but the terms olfactory “groove” and “fossa” are occasionally misused, We propose several new “olfactory” terms for inclusion in the Terminologia Anatomica, and stress the need for uniform nomenclature leading to greater consistency and accuracy in clinical use of anatomical terms containing the word “olfactory” as a descriptor.
Article
Background: Nasal polyposis is characterised by opacification of the nasal cavities, paranasal sinuses and ostiomeatal complexes on computed tomography scanning. Sinonasal bony changes have been reported as disease sequelae.Objectives: To assess the prevalence of sinonasal bone expansion, erosion and thickening in patients with nasal polyposis, and to correlate disease severity with the prevalence of bony changes.Methods: A retrospective radiological study was conducted comprising pre-operative computed tomography scans of 104 patients with nasal polyposis and scans of 44 age- and gender-matched individuals (control group) without sinonasal disease. Lund–Mackay scores and bony changes were quantified.Results: Ninety-three per cent of the study group scans showed sinonasal bony change, with no changes in the control group. Radiological severity of nasal polyposis correlated positively with the prevalence of bony changes (r s = 0.31; p < 0.01).Conclusion: Sinonasal bony changes were common in the study group. This highlights the importance of pre- and intra-operative imaging, which can help to prevent intra-operative complications. As bony changes may mimic invasive disease, the importance of histological assessment of polyps is emphasised.