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Imaging of the Nasal Cavity and the Sinuses

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Airway Diseases
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Abstract

The role of direct radiography in sinonasal imaging is gradually decreasing. In both emergency trauma and elective cases, the main modality is computed tomography (CT). In particular, multiplanar high-resolution CT (HRCT) provides an excellent road map for functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS). A preoperative CT scan should be performed after the completion of medical treatment for mucosal disease. Nasal cleaning prior to the scan and using a nasal decongestant 15–10 min prior to the procedure facilitates radiological evaluation [1, 2]. In the postoperative period, CT should be performed 8 weeks later, by which time inflammation will have regressed and mucociliary activity will have normalized [3]. The HRCT images obtained should also be reconstructed in the soft tissue algorithm to reveal the attenuation of lesions, relationship of lesions with neighboring structures, and evaluate surrounding structures (brain, orbit, skull base, and nasopharynx). Unenhanced multiplanar HRCT is used in routine practice. Contrast-enhanced CT or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is performed to reveal the extension of pathologies from single-sided lesions, malignant or vascular lesions, and fungal spectrum to neighboring compartments, such as the brain and orbit [4].

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Toprak, U., Nguyen, P. (2023). Imaging of the Nasal Cavity and the Sinuses. In: Cingi, C., Yorgancıoğlu, A., Bayar Muluk, N., Cruz, A.A. (eds) Airway Diseases. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-22483-6_11-1

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