X-ray of the paranasal sinuses is a diagnostic study that is used in otolaryngology.
Indications for the purpose of this study are:
- trauma to the bones of the nose and the facial part of the skull (closed, open);
- bleeding from the nose of an unknown origin;
- suspicion of sinusitis (in the presence of symptoms such as headache, shortness of nasal breathing, runny nose, fever);
- suspected polypoid formations, cysts or tumors in the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses;
- suspicion of foreign objects in the nasal cavity;
- evaluation of the dynamics of the therapeutic process;
- Preparation for surgical procedures in the nose or paranasal sinuses.
The x-ray of the paranasal sinuses is a reliable method, providing the necessary information about the pathologies of the nose and paranasal cavities (congenital or acquired), as well as the curvature of the nasal septum.
X-ray of the sinuses in sinus
The x-ray of the nose and paranasal sinuses is most often recommended for sinusitis , an inflammation of the mucous membranes of the maxillary paranasal sinuses. With this disease it is impossible to make an accurate diagnosis only on the basis of complaints, anamnesis, external examination.
On an x-ray photograph of the sinuses of the nose, a specialist can see the filling of the sinuses with pus (often the level of pathological exudate is clearly visualized), and this sign is the basis for confirmation of sinusitis. Purulent fluid in the paranasal sinuses looks like a darkening in the right or left part or on both sides - depending on the localization of the pathology. Also, if there are blackouts on the edges, you can talk about the parietal thickening of the mucous membrane of the sinuses.
How do x-rays of the sinuses of the nose?
To make an x-ray of the paranasal sinuses, no special preparation is required. This diagnostic procedure is performed on an outpatient basis and takes no more than two minutes. The only thing that is worth remembering to the patient is that before the procedure it is necessary to remove all the things from the metal.
As a rule, radiography is performed in two projections - occipital-chin and occipital-frontal. The patient is in the standing position. In some cases, other types of projection can be used, and also a targeted survey of a certain paranasal sinus can be performed. The picture is taken when breathing is delayed. After that, the resulting image is sent for decryption.
On the X-ray, the maxillary, frontal paranasal sinuses, and also the trellis labyrinth are perfectly visualized. The radiologist when decoding the image assesses the condition of bone tissue, the state of the nasal cavity of the nose and surrounding tissues.
In the case when the x-ray image of the nasal sinus is completely darkened, it is necessary to prescribe an additional study - computer or magnetic resonance imaging, giving volumetric images. This is due to the fact that this characteristic can not be assessed unequivocally: it can speak
Contraindications to the x-ray of the sinuses of the nose
Radiography of the nasal sinuses is a fairly safe procedure, and the dose of radiation the patient receives is minimal. However, it is not recommended to conduct this study during pregnancy. Only in exceptional cases can the physician insist on carrying an X-ray to pregnant women, when the possible risk of the disease exceeds the damage to the fetus during the procedure.