Imaging of sinonasal pathology may occur for assessment of rhinosinusitis or mass lesions.
Rhinosinusitis is prevalent in up to 16% of the US population with annual economic burdens
estimated at 22 billion dollars. Rhinosinusitis is characterized as acute or chronic based on
symptom duration; if four or more episodes occur annually, the term recurrent acute
rhinosinusitis (RARS) is used. In acute uncomplicated rhinosinusitis when inflammatory
change remains in the paranasal sinuses and nasal cavity, imaging may not be required …

This article presents guidelines for initial imaging utilization in patients presenting with
sinonasal disease, including acute rhinosinusitis without and with suspected orbital and
intracranial complications, chronic rhinosinusitis, suspected invasive fungal sinusitis,
suspected sinonasal mass, and suspected cerebrospinal fluid leak. CT and MRI are the
primary imaging modalities used to evaluate patients with sinonasal disease. Given its
detailed depiction of bony anatomy, CT can accurately demonstrate the presence of …