The role of computed tomography in the diagnosis of nasal septal deviation

Abstract EN

Background: Deviated nasal septum is one of the frequent conditions seen regularly in otolaryngology clinics.

The diagnosis of a deviated septum is commonly established with physical examination without the use of additional imaging modalities.

No clear guidelines are available yet for the use of imaging modalities in diagnosing deviated septum.

Objective: To evaluate Computed Tomography (CT) scanning in the diagnosis of the deviated nasal septum.

Design: A Retrospective Review.

Method: A retrospective review of seventy-two patients booked for corrective septal surgery (septoplasty) was conducted.

Each patient’s record was reviewed for CT request prior to surgery and if deviated nasal septum was mentioned in the report.

Result: Seventy-two patients were included in the study, 27 (37.5%) females and 45 (62.5%) males.

Age ranged from 16 to 72 years (mean of 31.58).

Twenty-two (30.5%) patients had CT imaging prior to surgery; two (2.7%) scans were for patients booked for only septoplasty surgery.

Twenty-one (29.2%) of the scans reported deviated nasal septum in the report.

One (1.4%) report mentioned central nasal septum.

Conclusion: CT imaging is not crucial for the diagnosis of simple deviated nasal septum; its role is more pronounced in complex cases where other pathologies of the nasal tract are suspected to cause the patient symptoms.