Comparison of subjective and radiological findings during the course of acute maxillary sinusitis.

Some of the most common symptoms and signs of acute maxillary sinusitis were graded and compared with the radiological findings during the course of the disease. Four different treatment modes were used in 176 patients. The radiological and the subjective findings did not differ among the groups, which consequently were evaluated as an entity. The radiographic results demonstrated that the healing course during the first 15 treatment days follows an even regression line. The subjective findings show a more marked improvement during the first five days than subsequently, and also a more rapid initial improvement than radiography shows. The cough symptom showed the slowest recovery subjectively and also compared most closely with radiological findings. Patients with sinusitis which did not show an initial healing radiographically also had more marked symptoms the fifth day, and vice versa: patients who showed less than average healing subjectively also showed a slower healing radiographically.