Morphometric characteristics of the sphenoid sinus and potential influencing factors: a retrospective assessment using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT)

Pradeep Singh,Kuofeng Hung,Michael M Bornstein,Thomas Von Arx,Andy Wai Kan Yeung,Deepal Haresh Ajmera

doi:10.1007/s12565-021-00622-x

Abstract

The present study aimed to evaluate the morphological characteristics of the sphenoid sinus (SS), and the impact of potential influencing factors on the morphometric features using CBCT imaging. CBCT scans of 148 patients, aged between 15 and 85 (32.88 ± 15.33) years were retrospectively evaluated. DICOM files from the CBCT scans were imported into semi-automatic software and the SS of each patient was assessed for the morphological characteristics including configuration, symmetry, extension, shape, septation, volume, and maximum diameter. Furthermore, potential influencing factors such as age, gender, side, and sinus condition were analysed. A significant association was observed between sinus extension and age. Septation was also found to be significantly associated with age, gender and sinus condition. Besides, sinus volume was significantly associated with gender and sinus condition. No significant influence of shape and side on the morphometric features was noticed. The average volume and diameter of the SS were 6576.92 ± 3748.12 mm3 and 30.48 ± 9.28 mm, respectively. In conclusion, the present findings indicate that age, gender and sinus condition have a significant impact on the morphometric characteristics of the SS. Mature sinuses exhibit a post-sellar extension pattern until middle age. In addition, males, and sinuses with healthy sinus condition have larger volumes compared to females and pathological sinuses.

Highlights

The sphenoid sinus (SS) is an irregular-shaped cavity (Kinnman 1977), that is the most concealed and inaccessible of all the paranasal air sinuses (PAS) (Wiebracht and Zimmer 2014)
Material and methods performed between January 2016 and August 2019 using a ProMax 3D Mid (Planmeca, Helsinki, Finland) from patients referred to the Diagnostic Imaging clinic at the Prince Phillip Dental Hospital which houses the Faculty of Dentistry of the University of Hong Kong were collected for the present retrospective study
All measurements were found to be highly reproducible with an excellent intra-observer repeatability and interobserver reproducibility for observations (configuration, CBCT scans of 149 patients (72 males and 77 females) aged between 15–85 (32.88 ± 15.33) years were reviewed (Table 2)

Summary

Introduction

The sphenoid sinus (SS) is an irregular-shaped cavity (Kinnman 1977), that is the most concealed and inaccessible of all the paranasal air sinuses (PAS) (Wiebracht and Zimmer 2014). Enclosed within the body of the sphenoid bone (Costea et al 2018), it is connected to the neurocranium and viscerocranium through several skull bones (Ozer et al 2018). Owing to its close association with vital neurovascular and endocrine structures such as the optic nerve, internal carotid artery, cavernous sinus, and pituitary gland, the SS is considered to be a structure of significant clinical relevance (Fasunla 2012). Due to its anatomical location, it is vital while planning surgical approaches to both intra- and extrasellar pathologies (Oliveira et al 2017). The average volume of the SS reported in recent studies for an adult male and female is 7.672 to 10.005 ± 5.101 cm and 7.751

Methods

Results

Conclusion