Prevalence of incidental findings in CT scan of paranasal sinuses

Open Access

Abstract

Background: The use of computed tomography (CT) scans has become a common diagnostic tool for evaluating the paranasal sinuses (PNS), particularly in patients presenting with symptoms such as chronic sinusitis, nasal obstruction, or facial pain. CT imaging offers detailed visualization of sinus anatomy and pathology, often leading to accurate diagnosis and management. Incidental findings (IFs) are unintentional discoveries unrelated to the imaging purpose. Imaging exams on people with suspected intracranial diseases may detect IFs in the PNS. Objectives: The aim of the study was to evaluate the prevalence of incidental abnormalities on computed tomographic scans of the paranasal sinuses. Methods & Materials: This cross-sectional study was carried out in the Department of Radiology & Imaging, Uttara Adhunik Medical College & Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh during January 2023 to December 2023. A total of 120 patients were participated in the study. Statistical analyses of the results were be obtained by using window-based Microsoft Excel and Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS-24). Results: The age distribution showed that (14.16%) patients were under 20 years old, (20.0%) were between 21 and 40 years old and 48 (40.0%) were over the age of 61. The majority of the patients were male (58.33%) and (41.66%) being female. According to employment status, (15.83%) of patients were housewives, (10%) were businessmen, (7.5%) were retired officers and (34.16%) were service members. According to socioeconomic level, (58.33%) of the patients come from middle-class families, (24.16%) from low-income families and (17.60%) from middle-class families. Conclusion: Incidental abnormalities on paranasal sinus CT scans are common, though most findings are minor and unlikely to require intervention. Awareness of these incidental findings is essential to avoid unnecessary follow-up and treatment, particularly when abnormalities do not correlate with symptoms. Further research is warranted to evaluate the clinical significance of specific types of incidental findings.