title: 3D cone beam (CBCT) in evaluation of frontal recess: findings in youth population.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Frontal recess is the anatomical region most difficult to manage in endoscopic frontal sinus surgery due to the extreme variability of the cell patterns that may be observed in this area. CT has always been the gold standard in preoperative evaluation, but especially in the assessment of the causes of frontal recess obstruction and surgical failure. In recent years, this accredited and reliable method has been complemented by computed tomography cone beam (CBCT), which provides similarly detailed anatomical information with a lower dose of radiation.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this paper is to analyze and validate the use of CBCT in the study of frontal recess, and especially its anatomical variants in a youth population.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed 500 CBCT images of paranasal sinuses of young subjects with sinus inflammation pathology between 2009 and 2011.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We observed that the method is very sensitive in detecting anterior and posterior recess cells, also in a youth population and then report on some significant images.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We confirm the validity of CBCT, which by virtue of its sensitivity and specificity may be used in the analysis of frontal recess pathologies, especially when a young population is involved.
authors.affiliation: Department of Sensory Organs, "Sapienza" University, Rome, Italy. antonio.minni@uniroma1.it
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Minni
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Messineo
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Attanasio
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pianura
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: D'Ambrosio
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D054893:Cone-Beam Computed Tomography; D005260:Female; D005626:Frontal Sinus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008297:Male; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011857:Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012384:Rome; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012852:Sinusitis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D055815:Young Adult