title: Pneumatization of the inferior turbinates: incidence and radiologic appearance.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this work was to determine the incidence and radiologic appearance of pneumatized inferior turbinates (PITs).
  
  
  METHODS
  Pneumatized inferior turbinates were investigated among 2500 consecutive cases with coronal paranasal sinus computed tomography (CT) scans that were performed for different reasons between 2000 and 2004.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ten new PIT cases diagnosed with CT were identified. Pneumatization was diagnosed in 2 patients aged 7 and 14 years. Therefore, this is the first time that PIT has been described in the pediatric age group. Complete or incomplete pneumatizations were unilateral in 7 cases and bilateral in 3 cases. In bilateral PIT cases, pneumatizations were asymmetric. In 2 cases, only bulbous parts of the inferior turbinates (ITs) were involved. Inferior turbinate expansion related to pneumatization was not observed in any case. In cases with maxillary sinus communication, axial CT sections revealed a defect on the medial wall of the maxillary sinus.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The incidence of PIT was found to be 1 in 250 cases. It is suggested that most PIT cases may be a result of articulation defects between the maxillary process of the palatine bone and the maxillary bone. In such a situation, the maxillary process of the palatine bone and the nasal process of the maxillary bone, which form the medial wall of the maxillary sinus at the IT level, can attach to the IT separately.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Harran University Faculty of Medicine, Sanliurfa, Turkey. ozturka26@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Adil
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Oztürk
authors.forename: Necat
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Alataş
authors.forename: Ebru
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Oztürk
authors.forename: Imran
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: San
authors.forename: Ocal
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Sirmatel
authors.forename: Nurcan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kat
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001847:Bone Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014420:Turbinates / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*