Imaging of Sinonasal Disease (Infection, Tumors)

This chapter serves as an introduction to the radiologic evaluation of sinonasal anatomy and pathology. A brief overview of paranasal sinus anatomy and drainage pathways is provided. Sinonasal infectious/inflammatory processes are commonly encountered in day-to-day neuroradiology practice, which makes it important to recognize these pathologies and detect potential complications. The classic imaging appearances of acute and chronic sinonasal infectious/inflammatory processes are described in this chapter with a discussion of important clinical considerations and complications. Critical imaging findings such as orbital and intracranial involvement are covered in detail. Manifestations of sinonasal disease in the setting of systemic inflammatory conditions are also discussed. The basics of sinonasal tumor imaging are presented, and the most commonly encountered malignant and benign tumors are described. The appearance of each entity on CT and MRI is demonstrated by representative images along with important clinical considerations. Classic radiologic signs that aid diagnosis are shown. A brief overview of emerging sinonasal neoplasms and their appearance on imaging are provided at the end of the chapter.