Ultrasonography versus radiography in the diagnosis of maxillary sinusitis.

Water's view plain film radiography was compared with ultrasonography in the diagnosis of acute maxillary sinusitis in 50 patients at the Radiology Department of King Hussein Medical Centre in Jordan with clinical diagnosis of acute sinusitis. Ultrasound showed 100% concordance with plain radiographs reported as showing complete opacifications or an air fluid level, the only reliable plain film indicator of an inflamed antrum. We conclude that ultrasonography, which is non-ionizing, can provide an alternative to plain radiography in the initial investigation of maxillary sinusitis.