Sinus, middle-ear and mastoid radiological findings of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2

Abstract

Objective: To assess the incidence of radiological inflammation within the paranasal sinuses, middle ear and mastoid in patients with confirmed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted to examine consecutive adults (aged over 18 years) with coronavirus disease 2019 (confirmed on polymerase chain reaction within 7 days of imaging) who underwent computed tomography of the head between 1 March 2020 and 24 June 2020. Lund-Mackay and mastoid and middle-ear opacification scores were used to categorise the extent of sinus and mastoid opacification on axial and coronal computed tomography images.

Results: Of 147 patients originally identified, only 83 met the inclusion criteria. Sinus opacification was present in 51.8 per cent of patients (n = 43), and middle-ear or mastoid opacification was observed in 24.1 per cent (n = 20). There was no statistically significant difference in sinus or middle-ear and mastoid opacification between patients after stratification based on 30-day all-cause mortality.

Conclusion: Radiological computed tomography findings suggest mild mucosal disease within the sinuses, middle ear and mastoid. There was no statistical correlation between such opacification and 30-day mortality.

Keywords: COVID-19; Diagnostic Imaging; Mastoid; Paranasal Sinuses; SARS-CoV-2.