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. 2013:2013:731640.
doi: 10.1155/2013/731640. Epub 2013 Nov 12.

Sinus fungus ball in the Japanese population: clinical and imaging characteristics of 104 cases

Kazuhiro Nomura  1 , Daiya Asaka, Tsuguhisa Nakayama, Tetsushi Okushi, Yoshinori Matsuwaki, Tsuyoshi Yoshimura, Mamoru Yoshikawa, Nobuyoshi Otori, Toshimitsu Kobayashi, Hiroshi Moriyama
Affiliations

Sinus fungus ball in the Japanese population: clinical and imaging characteristics of 104 cases

Kazuhiro Nomura et al. Int J Otolaryngol. 2013.

Abstract

Sinus fungus ball is defined as noninvasive chronic fungal rhinosinusitis occurring in immunocompetent patients with regional characteristics. The clinical and imaging characteristics of paranasal sinus fungus ball were retrospectively investigated in 104 Japanese patients. All patients underwent endoscopic sinus surgery. Preoperative computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, age, sex, chief complaint, causative fungus, and clinical outcome were analyzed. Patients were aged from 25 to 79 years (mean 58.8 years). Female predominance was noted (58.7%). Most common symptoms were nasal discharge and facial pain. CT showed high density area in 82.0% of the cases (82/100), whereas T2-weighted MR imaging showed low intensity area in 100% of the cases (32/32). Histological examination showed that most causative agents were Aspergillus species (94.2% (98/104)). Culture test was positive for 16.7% (11/66). Recurrence was found in 3.2% (3/94). Older age and female predominance were consistent with previous reports. MR imaging is recommended to confirm the diagnosis.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Typical neuroimaging findings of maxillary fungus ball. (a) Coronal CT scan with soft tissue density. Left maxillary sinus is completely filled with material. High density spots are seen. (b) Coronal T2-weighted MR image. Extremely low signal intensity to signal void indicates the presence of fungus ball. Peripheral high intensity area indicates edematous mucosa.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Representative case of fungus ball identifiable only on MR imaging. (a) Coronal CT scan with soft tissue density. Left maxillary sinus is filled with material. Irregular surface of the material suggests the possibility of fungus ball. High density spot is not seen. (b) Coronal T2-weighted MR image. Extremely low signal intensity to signal void indicates the presence of fungus ball.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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