Image findings in patients with chronic invasive fungal infection of paranasal sinuses.

Objectives: More clear classification of chronic invasive fungal infection of paranasal sinuses in the clinical presentation, radiologic findings, and pathology is needed. To describe the imaging findings of patients with chronic invasive fungal sinusitis (CIFS) and chronic granulomatous invasive fungal sinusitis (CGIFS).

Methods: Eleven patients with CIFS or CGIFS between January 2014 and July 2019 were included in this retrospective study. The demographic, pathologic, and imaging characteristics of the included patients were reviewed by rhinologist, pathologist, and radiologist, respectively. In terms of imaging analysis, overall lesions were categorized as diffuse infiltrative and mass-forming patterns.

Results: Among eleven patients, ten patients were aged ≥ 60 years (mean age 74.2 years) and nine had hypertension and/or diabetes mellitus. Aspergillus species were the most common pathogens (82%). Of the seven patients with CIFS, five (71%) had diffuse infiltrative patterns and two (29%) had mass-forming patterns, whereas all four patients (100%) with CGIFS had a mass forming pattern. All 11 patients showed both bony erosion and sclerosis. Almost all proven pathologic sites showed predominantly intermediate to high signal intensity on T1WI.

Conclusions: CIFS or CFIFS showed chronic course of rhinosinusitis in the patients with old age, imaging findings of bone erosion and sclerosis, and imaging patterns of diffuse infiltration or mass formation.