Comparison of high-resolution ultrasonography and computed tomography in the diagnosis of nasal fractures.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to compare the value of high-resolution ultrasonography (HRUS) and computed tomography (CT) in the diagnosis of nasal fractures.


METHODS
Facial CT and HRUS examinations performed on 140 consecutive patients (103 male and 37 female; age range, 2-74 years; mean, 26 years) with nasal trauma between October 2004 and April 2007 were retrospectively evaluated. Sonograms were obtained with a hockey stick probe (15-7 MHz linear array transducer). All patients also underwent facial CT and conventional radiography. The nasal fracture detection rates for HRUS, CT, and conventional radiography were compared with the clinical and surgical diagnosis. Nasal fractures were classified into high- and low-grade groups according to severity. They were also compared with the CT findings of all 280 lateral nasal bones and with HRUS findings as the reference standard.


RESULTS
The accuracy rates for HRUS, CT, and conventional radiography in detecting nasal fractures were 100%, 92.1%, and 78.6%, respectively. Compared with HRUS, CT revealed only 196 of 233 lateral nasal bone fractures; its accuracy was 80%. In high-grade fractures, the accuracy of CT was 87%, but it decreased to 68% in low-grade fractures.


CONCLUSIONS
Compared with HRUS, CT had lower accuracy, especially in low-grade nasal fractures. Thus, HRUS is a reliable diagnostic tool for the evaluation of nasal fractures.
Lee
Min Hee
MH
Department of Radiology, Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital, 1174 Jungdong, Wonmi-gu, Gyeonggi-do 420-021, Korea.
Cha
Jang Gyu
JG
Hong
Hyun Sook
HS
Lee
Jong Se
JS
Park
Seong Jin
SJ
Paik
Sang Hyun
SH
Lee
Hae Kyung
HK
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009295:Nasal Bone / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000293:injuries*; D012015:Reference Standards; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012887:Skull Fractures / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods; D055815:Young Adult