3D computed tomographic analysis of frontal recess anatomy in patients without frontal sinusitis.
OBJECTIVE
Describe frontal sinus pneumatization in patients with no history of frontal sinus disease.


METHODS
All 1-mm axial sinus CT scans performed from 2001 through 2003 were eligible for review on a CBYON Suite workstation (CBYON, Mountain View, CA). Exclusion criteria included frontal sinusitis, sinonasal polyposis, age < 18 years, sinus malignancy, fibroosseous lesions, maxillofacial trauma, congenital anomaly, and sinus surgery.


RESULTS
A total of 50 patients met the inclusion criteria. The prevalence of each structure was: agger nasi cell (89%), type 1 frontal cell (37%), type 2 frontal cell (19%), type 3 frontal cell (8%), type 4 frontal cell (0%), supraorbital ethmoid cell (62%), suprabullarcell (15%), frontal bullar cell (9%), interfrontal septal cell (14%), and recessus terminalis (22%).


CONCLUSIONS
This study describes frontal pneumatization in patients without a history of conditions that influence frontal pneumatization. The results characterize normal frontal recess/sinus pneumatization patterns.
Lee
Walter T
WT
Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Department of Otolaryngology, Section of Nasal and Sinus Disorders, Cleveland, OH, USA.
Kuhn
Frederick A
FA
Citardi
Martin J
MJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005626:Frontal Sinus / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed