title: Correlation of clinical sinusitis signs and symptoms to imaging findings in pediatric patients.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to determine the correlation between signs and symptoms of upper respiratory tract disease and sinus images in a convenience sample of sixty pediatric patients scheduled for computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging of the head for non-sinus diagnoses over a 2-year period. The study was carried out in a tertiary pediatric referral center. Each patient underwent rhinoscopy and otoscopy just prior to imaging, and each patient's parent was asked to fill out a questionnaire regarding recent symptoms of upper respiratory tract infection; a blinded comparison was then made between respiratory signs and symptoms and images of the paranasal sinuses. Forty-seven percent of patients had abnormalities of their sinus images, and a significant (P < 0.05) correlation was found between the presence of absence of respiratory signs and symptoms and the presence or absence of abnormalities of sinus images, especially in younger patients. In conclusion, a large percentage of pediatric patients undergoing imaging procedures of the head for non-sinus diagnoses have sinus image abnormalities. In the population studied these imaging abnormalities appear to reflect ongoing or resolving upper respiratory tract viral or allergic inflammation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, University of Washington, Children's Hospital and Medical Center, Seattle 98105-0371, USA.
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Manning
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Biavati
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Phillips
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D010256:Paranasal Sinuses / Q000503:physiopathology; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012852:Sinusitis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed