Head and Neck ImagingFrontal sinus, pathology
Inflammatory changes are commonly seen in the frontal
sinus (see
sinonasal cavities, inflammation
). While orbital complications are more common with ethmoid sinusitis, intracranial complications (albeit rare) more often originate from frontal sinusitis because of a rich
vascular network connecting the posterior
sinus mucosa with the
meninges. Bone destruction due to
osteomyelitis is also most often seen in the frontal
sinus (see
Pott's puffy tumor
).
Mucocele
The frontal
sinus is the most common location for a
mucocele
. The
sinus appears radiologically as an expanded airless cavity. Apart from frontal bossing, it may cause deformity of the adjacent orbit; intracranial extension of a frontal mucocele may be seen.
Frontal fractures are the result of a direct
trauma, or extension of a calvarial
fracture. A posterior wall
fracture may be complicated by
cerebrospinal fluid leak
, a pneumocele, meningitis or
contusion to the frontal brain
parenchyma. Also, see
facial fracture
.
Tumoural pathology
The frontal
sinus is the most common location for sinonasal osteoma (see
osteoma, sinonasal
).
Primary frontal
sinus carcinoma is rare. Frontal bone erosion occurs rapidly, with spread into the adjacent structures (
Fig. 1). The prognosis is poor. Also, see
sinonasal cavities, cancer
.
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Already registered? Enter your e-mail in the window below.Re-registerFig. 01a
Contrast-enhanced axial CT image. Tumoral lesion in the frontal sinus, causing bone erosion, and growing both intra- and extracranially. Squamous cell carcinoma.
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Frontal sinus, pathology, Fig. 01a | |