RELATIONSHIP OF MASTOID PNEUMATIZATION AND AGE WITH COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY MEASURED SPHENOID SINUS VOLUME.

The aim was to measure sphenoid sinus volume on the basis of computed tomography data post processing and to investigate the possible relationship with age, gender and mastoid pneumatization. Sphenoid sinus volume was measured using the semi-automatic post processing algorithm of MSCT DICOM datasets of 66 patients. There were 35 female and 31 male subjects. Median age was 54 (range 17-84) years. Datasets were selected retrospectively from computer archives of our hospital radiology department. Subjects with healthy sphenoid sinuses were included. Relationship of total sphenoid volume with age, gender and mastoid pneumatization was analyzed. Data acquisition was performed using Siemens Somatom Emotion scanner. Measurements were performed using volumetric module of Syngo 2006G software. Virtual endoscopy and three-dimensional volume rendering were also performed. Median sphenoid total volume (left and right together) was 10.12 cm. Median volume of the right mastoid was 4.86 cm and 5.31 cm on the left side. We found a significant positive correlation between total sphenoid volume and both left and right mastoid pneumatization (Spearman ρ=0.528, p<0.001 and ρ=0.450, p<0.001, respectively). Sphenoid volume was positively correlated with age, but without statistical significance (ρ=0.186; p=0.136). Sphenoid volumes were larger in males than in females, but mastoid air cells showed no gender difference. In conclusion, volumetric measurements of paranasal sinuses may be accurately performed on the basis of MSCT data post processing. Sphenoid volume was positively correlated with mastoid pneumatization and age. Virtual endoscopy and 3D volume rendering may accurately display anatomic structures of sphenoid sinuses.