FREQUENCY OF CARCINOMA MAXILLARY SINUS IN CHRONIC RHINOSINUSITIS ON COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY

Introduction: Most common disorder of para-nasal sinuses is rhino-sinusitis. It can be acute or chronic. Mostly it is
viral, followed by bacterial and fungal. Maxillary sinus carcinoma appears as soft tissue density mass with variable
enhancement pattern. CT scan is the gold standard for it and tells about the exact pathology in para-nasal sinuses.
Methods:A cross-sectional study of one year duration (July 2010- July2011) was done on patients referred to the
radiology department from casualty. Sample size was 300 patients of all ages selected by non probability consecutive
sampling with the exclusion of diagnosed and follow up cases. Data was analyzed in statistical software SPSS using
95% confidence interval.
Results: A mass was diagnosed in 15% of the patients. Of these,18% patients had supra structure mass, 37% patients
had site of the mass in infra structure and in 45% patients site of the mass was both (supra structure and infra structure),
in 88% patients mass was heterogeneously hyperdense while in 12% patients mass was heterogeneously hypodense.
In 28% patients mass was regular in shape while in 72% patients mass was of irregular shape. In 63% patients, mass
was found on right side while in 37% patients, sinus was found on left side. Calcification was found in 28% patients
while necrosis was found in 23% patients.
Conclusion: CT imaging has an essential role in the evaluation of a patient with a clinical history of a chronic sinusitis
that fails to respond to antibiotic therapy. CT scan is the gold standard for it and tells about the exact pathology in paranasal
sinuses. CT scan is readily available and it provides a non invasive, economic and safe imageologic procedure.
It can retrieve the defections of nasal endoscopy.
Key Words: Rhinosinisitis, Carcinoma, CT scan