Study of Correlation between Endoscopic Assessment and Radiological Evaluation in Chronic Nasal Obstruction

Abstract

Introduction: Chronic nasal obstruction is one of the most common chronic diseases and affects nearly 50 million individuals every year the world over. The diagnosis of diseases associated with chronic nasal obstruction relies heavily on the clinical judgment. However the degree of accuracy in diagnosis of many reported cases with chronic nasal obstruction has exponentially increased owing to modern diagnostic methods like computed tomography of paranasal sinuses and diagnostic nasal endoscopy. The aim of the study is to implement the consistency among the findings of CT, X ray soft tissue and endoscopic findings of the PNS. This will help in a better understanding of the disease, its diagnosis and management. Methodology: This was a prospective observational study. The study was conducted in all the patients coming to the department of ENT in a tertiary health care centre. Patients of any age group with a history of nasal obstruction > 3 months not resolved in spite of medications were included in the study. An informed consent was obtained from the participants. Diagnostic nasal endoscopy and CT Scan PNS and or x-ray nasopharynx was done in 35 patients, suffering from chronic nasal obstruction. Results: A highly significant positive correlation was found between nasal endoscopic and radiological findings. Conclusion: A detail assessment of radiological and endoscopic findings is necessary for tailoring surgical plan .No single procedure can be sufficient in accurately diagnosing chronic nasal obstruction and both the preoperative CT and endoscopic examination are complementary to each other.