Diffusion-Weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Paranasal Sinuses: A Systematic Review

Publication date: Available online 21 July 2018

Source: Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology and Oral Radiology

Author(s): Luciana Munhoz, Reinaldo Abdala Júnior, Rogério Abdala, Emiko Saito Arita

Abstract

Objectives

This systematic review addresses the use of diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DWI) for paranasal sinus diseases. The applications of DWI were analyzed along with the main results and conclusions obtained by the investigators.

Study Design

Databases were searched and manuscripts from 2008 to 2018 were included, using the keywords "diffusion" combined with "sinonasal", "paranasal sinus", "maxillary sinus", "frontal sinus", "ethmoid sinus" and "sphenoid sinus". Only original English language studies with sinonasal disease samples were selected.

Results

Sixteen investigations regarding various sinonasal diseases were included. Most of the studies' main objectives were related to the use of the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) in the differentiation of benign lesions and malignant neoplasms. Researchers concluded that the ADC is lower for malignant neoplasms. Histological features of samples evaluated in the studies were heterogeneous.

Conclusions

The ADC may improve the quality of the diagnostic hypothesis, particularly in the differentiation between benign and malignant disease. Furthermore, the differences between certain types of lesions could be determined using the ADC. However, further studies focusing on inflammatory diseases should be performed. Overall, DWI and the ADC are promising methods that can be incorporated into routine evaluations.

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