SINONASAL POLYPOSIS - INVESTIGATION BY DIRECT CORONAL CT

To demonstrate the typical clinical and CT features of sinonasal polyp osis, we reviewed the clinical records and preoperative direct coronal CT scans of 35 patients with surgically proven disease. Symptoms incl uded progressive nasal stuffiness (100 %), rhinorrhea (69 %), facial p ain (60 %), headache (43 %) and anosmia (17 %). We found associations with rhinitis (46 %), asthma (29 %) and aspirin sensitivity (9 %). Cor onal CT features included polypoid masses in the nasal cavity (91 %), partial or complete pansinus opacification (90 %), enlargement of infu ndibula (89 %), bony attenuation of the ethmoid trabeculae (63 %) and nasal septum (37 %), opacified ethmoid sinuses with convex lateral wal ls (51 %) and air-fluid levels (43 %). The latter feature correlated w ith symptoms and signs of acute sinusitis in only 40 % of patients. Re cognition of sinonasal polyposis is important to the endoscopic surgeo n since it can be the most troubling sinonasal inflammatory disease to manage due to its aggressive nature and tendency to recur despite app ropriate treatment.