Sphenoid sinus fluid level in skull-base fractures.
The value of a sphenoid sinus fluid level in the diagnosis of a skull-base fracture was studied in two materials: one of 41 accident victims who died from brain injury an had their skull-base fracture verified at autopsy; and another of 36 patients with a sphenoid sinus fluid level visible on their emergency skull radiographs. The inclusion of sphenoid fluid in the diagnostic criteria for skull-base fracture improved the diagnostic accuracy from about 65% to about 80%. The false positive cases were caused by facial fractures. The false negative cases mainly occurred among severely ill patients, who had a small amount of sphenoid fluid and suboptimal radiographs.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001344:Autopsy; D001826:Body Fluids; D002648:Child; D005147:Facial Bones / Q000293:injuries; D005188:False Negative Reactions; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010579:Petrous Bone / Q000293:injuries; D011859:Radiography; D012887:Skull Fractures / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D013101:Sphenoid Sinus / Q000473:pathology*