The nose and nasal vault

Abstract

In this article we have reviewed the anatomy of the nose and nasal vault, with emphasis on specific features that are imaged with the SSCT. Important areas of the lateral wall anatomy include the OMU and SER, areas that are key to understanding the obstructive patterns of inflammatory sinonasal disease. Lesions that result in these specific obstructive patterns include anatomic variants and other focal pathological lesions, such as polyps. Other types of sinonasal inflammatory disease include sinonasal polyposis and granulomatous and fungal disease. Congenital lesions of the nose may be understood through a knowledge of the relevant developmental anatomy. These lesions include nasal dermoids and epidermoids, cephaloceles, gliomas, and choanal atresia. Important benign masses include antrochoanal polyps, inverting papillomas, angiomatous polyps, JNAs, and osteomas. Benign nasal masses have characteristic features that distinguish them from malignant lesions. Malignant nasal tumors, such as SSCa, esthesioneuroblastoma, and others, are characterized by their more aggressive and destructive behavior.