Imaging of sinonasal inflammatory disease

Abstract

Changes in imaging sinonasal inflammatory disease have paralleled changes in the treatment of chronic sinusitis. As functional endoscopic sinus surgery has become a more widespread technique, coronal computed tomography (CT) has become the primary imaging modality, replacing plain radiography. Knowledge of the plethora of sinonasal anatomic variations and the inherent surgical implications is critical to the interpretation of the CT scans and to the safe performance of endoscopic surgery. Currently, the role of magnetic resonance imaging is restricted to the evaluation of complicated sinusitis, intraorbital and intracranial manifestations of aggressive sinusitis, and sinonasal neoplasms.