Computed tomographic and endoscopic analysis of supraorbital ethmoid cells.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study is to look at the incidence of supraorbital ethmoid cells (SOEC) in normal Chinese subjects by using spiral computed tomography (CT) scanning. In addition, subjects with chronic rhinosinusitis with SOEC were reviewed for endoscopic analysis.

METHODS

A total of 202 normal Chinese subjects underwent spiral CT. Meanwhile, a retrospective review of patients who had undergone endoscopic sinus surgery over a 1-year period was conducted.

RESULTS

SOEC showed an incidence of 5.4% (22 sides), and all of them arose from the anterior ethmoid cells. On coronal CT, an SOEC might give the appearance of multiple frontal sinuses, type III frontal cells, suprabullar cells, frontal bullar cells, interfrontal septal cells, or that there was a septation present within the frontal sinus. Meanwhile, 11 chronic rhinosinusitis patients with 12 SOEC were identified.

CONCLUSION

A thorough knowledge of endoscopic anatomy and CT of the frontal recess and various fronto-ethmoid cells were required for safe dissection of the SOEC and frontal ostium.