title: Laterally attached superior turbinate is associated with opacification of the sphenoid sinus.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The sphenoid sinus is situated at the most posterior part of the nasal cavity and opens at the sphenoethmoidal recess located between the nasal septum and the superior turbinate. The correlation between anatomical structures surrounding the sphenoid sinus and sphenoid sinusitis is poorly understood. This study investigated possible factors that correlate to opacification of the sphenoid sinus on computed tomography.
  
  
  METHODS
  Review of computed tomography images of 200 patients who underwent endoscopic sinus surgery and/or septoplasty. The total lengths of the anterior sphenoid wall and the part medial to the superior turbinate were measured. The correlations were analyzed between the occurrence of sphenoiditis and these values, as well as age, sex, presence or absence of Onodi cell, opacification of the paranasal sinuses other than the sphenoid sinus, and shadow at the olfactory cleft.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The length of the part medial to the superior turbinate was significantly (odds ratio=1.36, P=0.001) associated with sphenoiditis, but the total length of the anterior wall of the sphenoid was not. Advanced age and disease of the olfactory cleft, posterior ethmoid cells, and frontal sinus were also correlated with sphenoiditis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Certain characteristics of the anatomical structures surrounding the sphenoid sinus are associated with sphenoiditis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazuhiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nomura
authors.forename: Tsuguhisa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakayama
authors.forename: Daiya
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Asaka
authors.forename: Tetsushi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Okushi
authors.forename: Takanori
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hama
authors.forename: Toshimitsu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Nobuyoshi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Otori
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D063405:Anatomic Variation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015524:Sphenoid Sinusitis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014420:Turbinates / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D055815:Young Adult