Abstract

INTRODUCTION

Computerized tomography (CT) is a diagnostic method that shows the anatomy and pathology of the paranasal sinuses at the highest level. We aimed to determine the frequency of anatomical variations and relationship with the mucosal pathologies.

METHODS

CT examinations of 250 patients who were admitted to radiology department of Sağlık Bilimleri University Izmir Bozyaka Education and Research hospital between January 2012 and January 2016 dates were analysed retrospectively.

RESULTS

Mostly commonly seen anatomical variation was the septum deviation in 193 (77.2%) patients. This was followed by concha bullosa in 142 (56.8%) and paradoxical concha in 98 (39.2%), while the least common anatomic variation was posterior clinoid process in 7 (2.8%) patients. The most common mucosal pathology was 137 (54.8%) mucosal thickening seen in maxillary sinus. Septum deviation, concha bullosa, paradoxical middle turbinate were the most common variations that may cause mucosal pathologies.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

There are not definite results in the literature related with the anatomical variations in the paranasal sinus. We believe that the differences in the results of this retrospective study is a consequence of genetic, gender and racial differences as well as methodological difference (while in some of cases only coronal CTs were used, an additional axial and sagittal images were used in some of the subjects). We believe that more sensitive results may be obtained about the prevalence of paranasal sinus variability in the future provided that series widened with larger number of subjects, CT scans evaluated from coronal-axial sections and studies supported with endoscopic evaluation.