Biplane CT of intraorbital and intracranial complicated lesions of nasal origin

Thirty-three patients with intraorbital and intracranial complicated lesions of nasal origin were examined by means of the biplane CT (combination of axial and coronal CT) technique. The cases were comprised of 1 case of orbital cellulitis, 1 case of a postoperative maxillary cyst, 6 cases of mucocele (or pyocele), 2 cases of progressive gangrenous rhinitis (including Wegener's granulomatosis), and 23 cases of maxillary cancer. In the case of orbital cellulitis, a markedly dilated superior ophthalmic vein was observed by biplane CT for the first time. A remarkable swelling of the superior rectus and levator palpebral superior muscles was confirmed precisely by coronal CT. In the 6 cases of mucocele (or pyocele), coronal CT scans confirmed the original lesions from the frontal sinus or from the ethmoid sinus. In the 23 cases of maxillary cancer, coronal CT was especially useful for the observation of the precise infiltration in the intraorbit, base of the skull, intracranium, and subtemporal fossa. It is concluded that this technique, i.e., biplane CT, is reliable for the diagnosis of these lesions of nasal origin and is useful for the TNM-classification of UICC. (author)