Importance of CT Scan of Paranasal Sinuses in the Evaluation of the Anatomical Findings in Patients Suffering from Sinonasal Polyposis

Sinonasal polyps are benign lesions arising from nose and/or sinuses mucosa. Paranasal sinuses computed tomogram (CT) scan are important for functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) as their information assist the surgeon in pre-operative planning. This study aimed to show importance of CT scan in evaluation of anatomical variations to prove a correlation with disease process and extent of disease in sinonasal polyposis patients. A study was done from Sept, 2010 to Sept, 2011 with 33 patients presenting with nasal polyps. All recruited patients, after thorough history, general examination and thorough ENT examination, were examined by nasal endoscopy and sinus CT scans. All scans were carried out using a 3 mm thickness in axial and coronal planes with sagittal reconstruction. An analysis was then carried out to see anatomical variations and disease extent in CT scans. Maxillary sinus was the most commonly and most severely affected sinus, while the sphenoid sinus was the least involved sinus. Ostiomeatal complex (OMC) was found to be blocked in 84.85 % cases. There were few anatomic variations (57.58 %) found as hypertrophied uncinate process (30.30 %), septal deviation (21.21 %), skull base type-2, Concha bullosa, Haller’s cell, Paradoxical middle turbinate, Onodi cell, pneumatized crista galli and dehiscent skull base. Hyperdense and heterogeneous opacification in paranasal sinuses was seen in 12.12 % patients. Importance of CT scans is to know anatomical variations as etiology, fungal etiology, to know extent of polyposis and anatomical variations to prevent complications during FESS and Navigation sinus surgery.