Clinical and radiological impact markers in evaluation characteristic unilateral paranasal sinus diseases

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study is to analyze the clinical and radiological features, which characterized specific unilateral sinus diseases.
METHODS: Retrospective review of patients’ medical records with unilateral sinus opacification detected from computed tomography (CT) scan for 10 years duration in Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre (UKMMC). The clinical presentation, mean age, presence of calcification and bony destruction and Lund Mackay score between groups were compared.
RESULTS: A total of 151 (23.5%) patients had unilateral paranasal sinus opacification on CT scan from 640 scan reviewed with 99 (65.6%) had inflammatory diseases, 38 (25.2%) had benign neoplastic condition and 14 (9.3%) with malignant neoplastic condition. Epistaxis was found to be significantly higher in malignant group (n=12/14) while rhinorrhea was higher in inflammatory condition (n=65/99). Bone erosion and mean Lund Mackay score were higher in malignant neoplasms group
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Computed tomography imaging combined with clinical presentation can be used as a tool to suspect malignant sinonasal disease. One should highly suspicious of malignancy if the Lund-Mackay score of the CT paranasal sinus is high. However,
tissue biopsy is still needed for confirmation