Comparison of Virtual and Conventional Endoscopy of Nose and Paranasal Sinuses

• Published in: Annals of otology, rhinology & laryngology Vol. 112; no. 2; pp. 139 - 142
• Main Authors: Di Rienzo, Lino, Tirelli, Guido Coen, Garaci, Francesco, Turchio, Piergiorgio, Guazzaroni, Marco
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01-02-2003; Annals Publishing Compagny; SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC
• Subjects: Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Biopsy; Diagnosis, Differential; Endoscopy; Endoscopy - methods; Endoscopy - standards; Ent; Female; Humans; Imaging, Three-Dimensional - methods; Imaging, Three-Dimensional - standards; Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects); Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Non tumoral diseases; Nose - anatomy & histology; Nose - diagnostic imaging; Otorhinolaryngology. Stomatology; Paranasal Sinuses - anatomy & histology; Paranasal Sinuses - diagnostic imaging; Patient Selection; Rhinitis - diagnosis; Sinusitis - diagnosis; Tomography, X-Ray Computed - methods; Tomography, X-Ray Computed - standards; Upper respiratory tract, upper alimentary tract, paranasal sinuses, salivary glands: diseases, semeiology; User-Computer Interface; computed tomography; nose; paranasal sinus; virtual rhinosinusoscopy; fiberoptic endoscopy; Human; Nose disease; Radiodiagnosis; Exploration; Obstruction; Virtual endoscopy; Sinusitis; Nose; Medical imagery; ENT disease; Paranasal sinus disease; Computerized axial tomography; Diagnosis; Endoscopy; Comparative study; Optical fiber
• ISSN: 0003-4894; 1943-572X
• DOI: 10.1177/000348940311200206

We compared computed tomographic virtual rhinosinus endoscopy (VRS) and conventional fiberoptic endoscopy (FE) for the detection of inflammatory-obstructive rhinosinusal disease. We recruited 158 patients; 100 (group A) had inflammatory-obstructive rhinosinus disease, and 58 (group B) had a history of rhinosinus surgery. All patients underwent VRS within 2 to 6 hours of FE, and VRS was able to demonstrate the anatomic details of the nasal fossa and rhinopharynx with a high correspondence to FE. A satisfying representation of anatomic detail was found in both groups A and B. The VRS was able to visualize invasiveness of the endosinusal cavities, which was not accessible to FE. The VRS is a fast, relatively easy, and noninvasive technique that could be integrated into FE or used as an alternative when FE is unfeasible. Because of the ability to explore the sinus cavity, we suggest that virtual rhinosinusoscopy should be considered as the appropriate term, instead of virtual rhinoscopy.