# Dental findings frequently overlooked in sinus computed tomography reports

## TL;DR

This study finds that dental issues like apical periodontitis are often missed in CT/CBCT reports of sinus patients, affecting accurate diagnosis.

## Contribution

The study identifies specific dental findings that are frequently overlooked in sinus imaging reports, highlighting the need for structured dental evaluations.

## Key findings

- 233 out of 300 reports mentioned maxillary teeth, with 'no apical periodontitis' being the most frequent statement.
- Apical periodontitis and severe alveolar bone loss were significantly underreported in initial reports.
- 22 patients with apical periodontitis and 16 with severe alveolar bone loss were diagnosed upon re-evaluation.

## Abstract

Computed tomography (CT) and cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) represent the main imaging modalities used in rhinosinusitis patients and are also important in odontogenic sinusitis (OS) diagnostics. Reports, however, often lack information on dentition. Here, we aimed to determine how maxillary dentition is initially interpreted in rhinosinusitis patients’ CT/CBCT reports and which dental findings in particular are potentially missed, thus needing more attention.

CT/CBCT scans and radiological reports from 300 rhinosinusitis patients were analysed focusing specifically on dental findings. An experienced oral and maxillofacial radiologist re-evaluated the scans and the assessment was compared to the original reports using the McNemar test.

From the 300 original reports, 233 (77.7%) mentioned the maxillary teeth. The most frequent statement (126/300, 42.0%) was ‘no apical periodontitis’. Apical periodontitis and severe alveolar bone loss were significantly overlooked (p < 0.001). Amongst the 225 patients for whom the CT/CBCT report initially lacked information on dental pathology, 22 patients were diagnosed with apical periodontitis and 16 with severe alveolar bone loss upon re-evaluation.

Dental pathology remains underreported in rhinosinusitis patients’ CT/CBCT reports. Because these reports affect OS diagnostics, a routine and structured review of the maxillary teeth by a radiologist is necessary. Such examinations should encompass the maxillary teeth.