Abstract
PURPOSE: Rhinolith is a calcification that occurs in the nasal cavity and may be discovered during routine radiographic exam. This calcification is rare, generally single, exogenous or endogenous, unilateral, and asymptomatic. It can cause nasal obstruction, fetid odour and purulent secretion. This study reported a case of rhinolith and its radiographic features. CASE DESCRIPTION: A female, 14-year-old patient had a radiopaque mass in the right nasal cavity. The primary treatment plan included oral surgery to remove a supposed impacted supernumerary tooth, which diagnosis was based on conventional radiographic exams. After an unsuccessful surgery, additional exam with computed tomography showed images compatible with a rhinolith. CONCLUSION: Computed tomographic scans are required for differential diagnosis of pathologies in the nasal cavity to provide proper treatment.
Highlights
Rhinoliths are calcifications that occur in the nasal cavity due to the deposition of mineral salts on a foreign body [1,2]
The rhinolith is a mineralized mass located inside the nasal cavity, resulting from total or partial calcification of an intranasal foreign body [1,2]
Its most common location is in the nasal cavity floor, between the anterior and posterior portion of the nostrils [2,7]
Summary
Rhinoliths are calcifications that occur in the nasal cavity due to the deposition of mineral salts on a foreign body [1,2]. This calcification can be exogenous or endogenous, is rare, generally single, unilateral and asymptomatic. Rhinoliths can cause nasal obstruction, fetid odour and purulent secretion. When asymptomatic, they are frequently discovered during routine radiographic examination [3,4,5]. Conventional radiographs are important for the differentiation of the rhinolith from other lesions with similar aspect, such as odontoma, impacted tooth, foreign bodies and other calcifications. The aim of this study was to report a clinical case of a rhinolith, describing its main characteristics for proper diagnosis by dental and medical imaging exams
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