skip to main content
RadInfo Logo Home

Sinonasal Disease

Sinonasal disease includes rhinosinusitis (inflammation of the nose or sinuses). “Acute” means that symptoms last less than 4 weeks, and “chronic” means that symptoms last more than 12 weeks.

For acute rhinosinusitis alone, no imaging tests are recommended.

For acute rhinosinusitis with possible orbit (eye) or brain involvement, head MRI or orbits, face, and neck MRI without and with contrast or maxillofacial CT with contrast is usually appropriate. Head MRI without contrast or head CT with contrast may be appropriate.

For people who may be candidates for surgery, maxillofacial CT without contrast is usually appropriate. Orbits, face, and neck MRI or CT of the sinuses  without contrast or maxillofacial CT with contrast may be appropriate.

For acute sinusitis that quickly gets worse or fungal sinusitis that may be spreading, orbits, face, and neck MRI without and with contrast, maxillofacial CT with contrast, or maxillofacial CT without contrast is usually appropriate. Head MRI without and with contrast, head MRI, or orbits, face, and neck MRI without contrast or head CT with contrast may be appropriate.

For possible sinonasal mass, orbits, face, and neck MRI without and with contrast, maxillofacial CT with contrast, or maxillofacial CT without contrast is usually appropriate. Head MRI without and with contrast, head MRI, or orbits, face, and neck MRI without contrast or head CT with contrast may be appropriate.

For possible leaking of fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord, maxillofacial CT without contrast is usually appropriate. Head MRI or orbits, face, and neck MRI without contrast; head CT cisternography or DTPA cisternography; or sinus single-photon emission computed tomography or single-photon emission computed tomography/CT may be appropriate. These tests determine whether there is fluid in the sinuses.

— By Sandra V. Kotsis, MPH and Aya Kamaya, MD. This information originally appeared in the Journal of the American College of Radiology.

This page was reviewed on July 25, 2022

Sponsored By

Please note

RadiologyInfo.org is not a medical facility. Please contact your physician with specific medical questions or for a referral to a radiologist or other physician. To locate a medical imaging or radiation oncology provider in your community, you can search the ACR-accredited facilities database.

This website does not provide cost information. The costs for specific medical imaging tests, treatments and procedures may vary by geographic region. Discuss the fees associated with your prescribed procedure with your doctor, the medical facility staff and/or your insurance provider to get a better understanding of the possible charges you will incur.

Web page review process: This Web page is reviewed regularly by a physician with expertise in the medical area presented and is further reviewed by committees from the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) and the American College of Radiology (ACR), comprising physicians with expertise in several radiologic areas.

Outside links: For the convenience of our users, RadiologyInfo.org provides links to relevant websites. RadiologyInfo.org, RSNA and ACR are not responsible for the content contained on the web pages found at these links.