[Chronic infections of the paranasal sinuses].
OBJECTIVE
Evaluation of the clinical value of imaging techniques for chronic inflammatory disease of paranasal sinuses.


METHODS
Beside clinical tests imaging of the paranasal sinuses is based on the techniques like conventional X-ray studies, ultrasound, computed tomography and magnetic resonance techniques.


RESULTS
The value of conventional X-ray is lowered and is today focused on the diagnosis of acute sinusitis with fluid level and the detection of inflammatory foci. Spiral-CT using transverse and coronal orientation or reformatted images is considered as the diagnostic method of choice for the majority of clinical questions. MRT allows additional diagnostic informations in completely obstructed maxillary sinuses and patients with suspected anterior skull base involvement.


CONCLUSIONS
Imaging techniques do provide substantial diagnostic informations in patients with chronic sinusitis.
Institut für Diagnostische und Interventionelle Radiologie, J.-W.-Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main. T.Vogl@em.uni-frankfurt.de
T J
TJ
Vogl
M G
MG
Mack
J
J
Balzer
D002908:Chronic Disease; D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006099:Granuloma / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D010254:Paranasal Sinus Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D010256:Paranasal Sinuses / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014463:Ultrasonography