CBCT Variants of Sinonasal Cavity: What Oral and Maxillofacial Radiologists Need to Know

The anatomical variations of sinonasal cavity are well documented in literature [1-3]. The sinonasal cavity is usually partially or fully imaged in cone beam CT (CBCT) exams taken for the teeth and jaws. So, oral and maxillofacial radiologists need to be familiar with the regional anatomy of the sinonasal complex (Figure 1). However, some anatomical variations can predispose to sinus disease or complicate sinus surgery. Therefore, solid understanding of the imaging anatomy of the sinonasal cavity is of paramount importance in order to eliminate or minimize surgical complications [4, 5]. CBCT scan is an advancement in technology that has begun to emerge as a potentially low dose and high contrast 3D imaging modality for visualizing bony structures in the dentomaxillofacial complex [6]. The objective of this pedagogical review is to provide oral and maxillofacial radiologists with a pictorial overview of the common anatomical variations of the sinonasal cavity as depicted on CBCT images.