Assessment of maxillary sinus septa using cone-beam computed tomography: etiological consideration.
BACKGROUND
Septum presence in the maxillary sinus complicates sinus floor elevation surgery, and so it is important that septa are accurately diagnosed on preoperative imaging.


OBJECTIVE
Septa were observed regarding their relationship with the bony palate using cone-beam computed tomography (CT).


METHODS
Thirty maxillary sinuses with dentate jaws of 15 dry skulls and a cone-beam CT unit were used. A septum was defined as a pointed bone structure, and an exostosis was defined as a rounded bone structure. The occurrence and locations of maxillary sinus septa and exostoses of more than 2 mm in height were evaluated. Also, angles between the direction of septum and median palatine suture were measured on axial images.


RESULTS
Twelve septa of 11 maxillary sinuses (37%) and nine exostoses of nine maxillary sinuses (30%) were observed. Also, 42% of septa and 67% of exostoses were antero-posteriorly aligned according to the transverse palatine suture. Moreover, the mean septum angle was 57.9 degrees in the anterior maxillary sinus region, and 101.8 degrees in the transverse palatine suture region, and significant differences were noted between them.


CONCLUSIONS
Maxillary sinus septa and exostoses could be clarified regarding their relationship with the bony palate using cone-beam CT.
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, School of Dentistry, Aichi-Gakuin University, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, Japan. mune@dpc.aichi-gakuin.ac.jp
Munetaka
M
Naitoh
Yutaka
Y
Suenaga
Shintaro
S
Kondo
Kenichi
K
Gotoh
Eiichiro
E
Ariji
D002102:Cadaver; D054893:Cone-Beam Computed Tomography; D005096:Exostoses / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008443:Maxillary Sinus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D021362:Palate, Hard / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging