CT and MRI diagnosis of silent sinus syndrome

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance (MR) findings of silent sinus syndrome (SSS) - a rare clinical entity with the constellation of progressive enophthalmos and hypoglobus, facial asymmetry and possible diplopia - due to otherwise asymptomatic maxillary sinus disease. We reviewed the pre- and postoperative CT and MR images of six patients with a definitive diagnosis of SSS and compared the radiological and clinical findings with those reported in the literature. The CT and MR studies demonstrated in all cases the most characteristic imaging features of SSS reported in the literature. Both CT and MR imaging enable a diagnosis of SSS to be made, but CT provides a better depiction of all features of SSS necessary for diagnosis and differentiation from other sinus conditions, even in patients without a clinical suspicion of SSS.