J Korean Soc Radiol.  2017 May;76(5):314-321. 10.3348/jksr.2017.76.5.314.

Assessment of Maxillary Sinus Wall Thickness with Paranasal Sinus Digital Tomosynthesis and CT

• Byun J
• Shim SS
• Kim Y
• Kong KA

• KMID: 2377033
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3348/jksr.2017.76.5.314

Abstract

PURPOSE
This study was performed to compare paranasal sinus tomosynthesis with computed tomography (CT) imaging as a radiologic tool to evaluate the paranasal sinuses, using measurement of the soft tissue thickness of the maxillary sinus.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
A total of 114 patients with sinusitis who underwent both paranasal sinus digital tomosynthesis (DT) and CT were enrolled in this retrospective study. Two observers independently assessed soft tissue thickness in both maxillary sinus chambers using both DT and CT images.
RESULTS
The mean difference in soft tissue thickness measured by each observer was −0.31 mm on CT and 0.15 mm on DT. The mean differences in soft tissue thickness measured with DT and CT were −0.15 by observer 1 and −0.31 by observer 2. Evaluation of the agreement in measurement of soft tissue thickness in the maxillary sinus using DT and CT showed a high intraclass correlation, with the 95% limit of agreement ranging from −3.36 mm to 3.06 mm [intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), 0.994: p<0.01] for observer 1 and from −5.56 mm to 4.95 mm (ICC, 0.984: p<0.01) for observer 2.
CONCLUSION
As an imaging tool, DT is comparable to CT for assessing the soft tissue thickness of maxillary sinuses in patients with sinusitis.

MeSH Terms

Humans
Maxillary Sinus*
Paranasal Sinuses
Radiation Dosage
Radiography
Retrospective Studies
Sinusitis

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1. DT (A) and MDCT (B) MPR coronal images of the paranasal sinuses acquired on the same day in a 52-year-old man with clinically suspected sinusitis. (A) DT shows abnormal mucosal thickening of both maxillary sinuses which is comparable to that shown by MDCT (B). DT = digital tomosynthesis, MDCT = multidetector computed tomography, MPR = multiplanar reconstruction

• 

  Fig. 2. Bland-Altman plots showing the difference in mean soft tissue thickness measurements between the observers’ measurements as a function of the mean CT (A) and DT values (B). The dashed middle line represents the bias (mean difference between measurements). The dashed lower and upper lines represent the limits of agreement (mean ± 1.96 SD). CT = computed tomography, DT = digital tomosynthesis, SD = standard deviation

• 

  Fig. 3. Bland-Altman plots showing the difference in measurements of soft tissue thickness between DT and CT as a function of the mean measurement according to the two modalities obtained by observer 1 (A) and observer 2 (B). The dashed middle line represents the bias (mean difference between measurements). The dashed lower and upper lines represent the limits of agreement (mean ± 1.96 SD). CT = computed tomography, DT = digital tomosynthesis, SD = standard deviation

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