Normal development of the paranasal sinuses in children: a CT study

Abstract

To evaluate the normal development of the paranasal sinuses in children with CT, authors prospectively studied with brain CT scans of 260 children without known sinus disease, ranging image from 7 days to 16 years Maximal anteroposterior and transverse diameters(mm) and maximal cross- sectional area(mm2) of both sides of the maxillary sinus were measured with the aid of computer device As to the ethmoidal and spheroidal sinuses, we simply documented the presence of the aplastic ethmoidal sinus and calculated the age-incidence of the spheroidal sinus pneumatization, respectivelyThere noted three phases in the development of the maxillary sinus The anteroposterior and transverse diameters of the maxillary sinus increased nearly in parallel The former was always greater than the latter In no cases was the edathamil sinus aplastic and almost all sinuses were pneumatized even in infants as early as 7 old days CT identified the conchal pattern of sphenoidal sinus pneumatization infants as early as 11 days old Sphenoidal sinus pneumatization was seen in 38% of the children under the age of 1 year, 82% of the children between the age of 1 and 2 years, and almost all children older than 2 years The anteroposterior and transverse diameters of the maxillary sinus seem to reach the adult size by 8 years of age, and the conchal pattern of sphemoidal sinus pneumatization can be recognized earlier with CT than on the plain radiographs