[Inflammatory paranasal sinus processes and ophthalmoplegia--the expanded diagnostic potentials via computed tomography and magnetic resonance tomography].

The ethmoidal sinus often plays a key role in recurring infectious sinusitis. Infections arising from this area are the cause of failure of some conventional and radical operative therapies. The case studies presented here demonstrate that transnasal surgery of the ethmoidal sinus because of an inflammatory process, can cause serious complications. Worsening of the vision with opacity of the paranasal sinuses is not always due to an inflammation. Corresponding disease courses which indicate a connection between eye function disturbances and processes of the paranasal sinuses are presented. A correlation between inflammatory and tumorous diseases of the adjacent paranasal sinuses with ophthalmologic signs can be shown in many patients via computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. These methods contribute to the diagnosis of the disease, determination of complications, differential diagnostic evaluation of benign and malignant space-occupying lesions, tumour staging, therapy planning, control of the disease course, early recognition of tumour recurrence and documentation.