2012, Number 4
Cottle’s nasal areas and their application in tomography
Biasotti FM, Flores S, Cuessy A
Language: Spanish
References: 14
Page: 200-208
PDF size: 491.88 Kb.
ABSTRACT
In clinical examination of the nose and the nostrils, the method most widely used by ENT consultants and rhinologists to locate abnormalities is the description by areas established by Cottle; unfamiliar to imageologists, it is difficult to apply because the references are visible to clinical examination and not evident in image studies. Establishing well defined criteria to support clinico- tomographic correlation will help improve communication among specialists and lead to better diagnosis of rhino-sinus disorders.Objectives. Propose anatomical references in computed tomography (CT) that are equivalent to those described for clinical identification of Cottle’s areas and demonstrate their easy and reproducible application to interpret nasal septum deviations.
Material and methods. An observational and comparative study of concordance in evaluation of CTs of nose and paranasal sinuses, in patients at different institutions, was performed by two radiologists with different experience in the field of ENT; blind analysis using image criteria for Cottle’s nasal areas in localization and characterization of deviations of the nasal septum.
Results. Applying the criteria of Landis and Koch, a “good concordance” was found between the two doctors, based on which it is to be expected that the criteria applied are reproducible.
Conclusions. 1) Unification of criteria between rhinologists and radiologists will help establish more accurate diagnoses which will allow treating physicians to make better therapeutic decisions and optimize resources. 2) This article seeks to lay the groundwork for image criteria to support the use of Cottle’s nasal areas, with which ENT consultants are fully familiar.
REFERENCES