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Atlas of Head/Neck and Spine Normal Imaging Variants pp 3–51Cite as

Sinonasal Variants

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Abstract

Sinonasal normal variations are well described, but their degree of clinical import often depends on not just the type of variant but also the location and the presence of concomitant sinonasal disease, such as sinusitis. The majority of these variations are first noted on computed tomography (CT), as it is the most common modality used to initially evaluate suspected sinonasal disease. On CT, some of these variations have a propensity to simulate an abnormality. Also, one should be aware of certain variants on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (e.g., aerated pterygoid process as an extension of a sinus), as their presence may simulate disease or confound evaluation (e.g., such as in arrested pneumatization). Additionally, identifying the presence of certain variations can be critical prior to surgery or other procedures to prevent complications such as a sphenoethmoidal Onodi cell surrounding the optic nerve.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA

    Alexander McKinney MD, CI/CIIP, Zuzan Cayci MD, Mehmet Gencturk MD, David Nascene MD, Matt Rischall MD, Jeffrey Rykken MD & Frederick Ott MD

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  1. Alexander McKinney MD, CI/CIIP
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  7. Frederick Ott MD
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McKinney, A. et al. (2018). Sinonasal Variants. In: Atlas of Head/Neck and Spine Normal Imaging Variants. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-95441-7_2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-95441-7_2

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-95440-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-95441-7

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