Nasal obstruction in the adult: is CT scan of the sinuses necessary?

Objective: To determine whether CT (computerized tomography) scan of the pa ranasal sinuses is essential in the diagnosis and medical/surgical manageme nt of nasal obstruction. Design: One hundred thirteen adult patients with nasal obstruction but with out signs of sinusitis who underwent CT examination prior to surgery, were included in the study. Results: Fifty seven percent of the CI scans revealed a variety of abnormal findings. Of the patients with an abnormal CT scan, surgical planning had to be altered in 16 patients due to significant abnormalities found on the CT scans. Conclusions: We conclude that CT scan of the nose and paranasal sinuses is an effective presurgical planning tool in patients with nasal obstruction.