Early Radiological Diagnosis of Chronic Sinusitis Prevents Complications

Aim: To prevent complications of fungal sinusitis by early and prompt radiological diagnosis. Study design: Descriptive/ Observational. Setting: Department of ENT Fatima Jinnah Medical College/Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Lahore, in collaboration with Department of Diagnostic Radiology of the same Hospital from Nov 2012 to April 2013. Methods: Patients with symptoms of chronic sinusitis fulfilling few major and associated criteria referred for diagnosis of disease and its complications to Radiology Department by CT/MRI. Study design: Descriptive / Observational Sampling Design: Convenient, Non Probability Sample Size: The first 100 patients referred from ENT Department were investigated by X-Rays/CT /MRI for chronic sinusitis and its associated complications Results: Out of 100 participants, in 70% of the cases, clinical and radiological findings were consistent and correlative, 12% were clinically positive but radiologically negative.8 % were radiologically positive but clinically had no symptoms.10% were inconclusive clinically and radiologically or were lost to follow up. All the findings were confirmed pathologically. Conclusion: Early diagnosis of noninvasive fungal sinusitis may prevent multiple surgical procedures and lead to effective treatment. It is concluded that for proper evaluation of fungal sinusitis, clinical, radiological and histopathological evaluation should be done in all the patients, where radiology provides a road map to the endoscopic surgeons and warns of any existing or impending complications. Histopathology always gives a confirmatory diagnosis and is gold standard.