title: Magnetic resonance assessment of age-related development of the sphenoid sinus.
abstract: Magnetic resonance images of the sphenoid sinus in 401 patients under 15 years old were reviewed to establish normal age-related standards. T1-weighted sagittal and T2-weighted axial scans were evaluated for bone marrow conversion, development of pneumatization, spatial enlargement and septation of the sphenoid sinus. The sphenoid sinus had a uniformly low signal intensity (red bone marrow) on T1-weighted images in all children less than 4 months old. Signal intensity changes from hypointense to hyperintense (bone marrow conversion) started at the age of 4 months. Onset of pneumatization was observed in 12% of the patients at age 13-15 months. By age 43-48 months, 85% of the patients showed pneumatization of the anterior part of the sphenoid bone. Pneumatization was complete in all patients older than 10 years. Enlargement of the sinus showed a characteristic profile in each dimension. Median septation was observed irregularly with age, with a maximum of 77%. Septum variants were noticed between 4.5% and 20%. Because paediatric sinus disease is a challenging problem in children, these results may be useful as baseline standards of normal age-related development of the sphenoid sinus during childhood.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Karl Franzens University Hospital, Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Szolar
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Preidler
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ranner
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Braun
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kern
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wolf
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Stammberger
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ebner
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000254:growth & development; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013101:Sphenoid Sinus / Q000254:growth & development*