JA Paffrath, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

PE Goco, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

GM Converse, Presenter: Nothing to Disclose

David Benjamin Weinreb MD, Abstract Co-Author: Author, NeuroLogica Corp

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the diagnostic utility of performing CT imaging by positioning the patient’s head vertically in the bore of the CT scanner, thereby directly acquiring coronal images, rather than reconstructing such images from axial sections.

65 consecutive patients with chronic sinusitis were imaged with a portable, 8-slice CT scanner engineered specifically for ENT imaging (CereTom NeuroLogica, Danvers, MA). The patients were seated in a specially-designed chair that allowed their heads to be positioned upright in the bore of the scanner.  In addition, temporal bone imaging of three patients with chronic otitis media was performed by the same approach. Images were interpreted by ENT surgeons familiar with each patients’ history; image quality was evaluated in the context of the surgeons’ cumulative clinical experience with conventional CT imaging of the sinuses and temporal bone.

Compared to conventional images reconstructed from axial slices, coronal images achieved better visualization of the anatomy of: (1) the anterior skull base in the region of the cribiform plate, (2) the medial orbital wall, (3) the osteomeatal complexes, (4) the uncinate process and (5) the anterior ethmoid cells of the agger nasi complex. In addition, coronal imaging of the temporal bone provided superior visualization of the scutum, tegmen and the ossicles.

ENT surgeons evaluated the image quality of the directly-acquired coronal images to be superior to conventional reconstructed images and new tomographic techniques such as GE for the evaluation of patients with chronic sinusitis, as well as temporal bone imaging in patients with chronic otitis media.

This technology may potentially be valuable in pre-surgical planning of ENT procedures in patients with a broad spectrum of pathology.

Paffrath, J, Goco, P, Converse, G, Weinreb, D, Acquiring Coronal Images Directly by Positioning the Patient’s Head Vertically in the Bore of the CT Scanner Is Useful for Defining the Anatomy of the Sinuses prior to ENT Surgery.  Radiological Society of North America 2008 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, February 18 - February 20, 2008 ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2008/6010054.html