Computed Tomographic Assessment of Individual Paranasal Sinus Compartment and Nasal Conchal Bulla Involvement in 300 Cases of Equine Sinonasal Disease.
Abstract: Computed tomographic (CT) imaging has allowed new anatomical studies and detailed clinical imaging of the complex, overlapping equine sinonasal structures. Despite the widespread use of CT, no study has specifically identified which compartments are most commonly affected with sinus disorders. CT has also shown the presence of intercurrent, ipsilateral nasal disorders, especially infection of the nasal conchal bullae (NCB) in many cases of sinus disease, but the frequency of intercurrent NCB infections has not been reported. To identify which sinus compartments are most commonly affected in horses with clinical sinus disorders and to record the prevalence of NCB involvement in such cases. Retrospective examination of CT images of horses with confirmed unilateral sinus disease. The CT images of 300 horses, from three different equine hospitals with clinically confirmed sinus disease [mainly dental (53%) and primary sinusitis (25.7%)] were retrospectively examined to determine which sinus compartments and NCBs were affected. The rostral, more dependent sinus compartments were most commonly involved, i.e., the rostral maxillary sinus in 284/300 (94.7% affected) and the ventral conchal sinus (87% affected). The caudal maxillary sinus (65.3%), dorsal conchal sinus (52.7%), frontal sinus (26%), ethmoidal sinus (32%) and sphenopalatine sinus (28.7%) were less commonly affected. There was infection or destruction of the ipsilateral NCBs in 56% of horses with sinus disorders, including the ventral NCBs in 42.3%, dorsal NCBs in 29% and both NCBs in 18% of cases. The horses with sinonasal disease that underwent head CT imaging include more problematic cases and horses of high value, rather than the general horse population. The more dependant (i.e., the RMS and VCS) sinus compartments are most commonly involved in sinus disorders, with the RMS involved in nearly every case. The more dorsally located sinuses (i.e., caudal group) are less commonly involved. Many horses with sinus disease also have disorders of their nasal conchal bullae and so the term seems appropriate for these disorders.
Copyright © 2020 Dixon, Barnett, Morgan and Reardon.
Publication Date: 2020-10-27 PubMed ID: 33195594PubMed Central: PMC7652901DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2020.580356Google Scholar: Lookup
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- Journal Article
Summary
This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.
The research article talks about the use of Computed Tomographic (CT) imaging in identifying the most common sinus compartments affected by sinus disorders in horses, along with documenting the prevalence of nasal conchal bullae (NCB) involvement.
Research Objectives and Methodology
The researchers aimed to determine which sinus compartments in horses are most commonly affected by clinical sinus disorders and also record the frequency of the involvement of nasal conchal bullae (NCB) in such cases.
- The research involved a retrospective examination of CT images of 300 horses diagnosed with unilateral sinus disease. These horses were from three different equine hospitals.
- With the help of CT imaging, they were able to study in detail the intricate, overlapping structures of the equine sinonasal system.
Observations and Findings
The results of the study were led by the examination of CT images, which confirmed the presence of sinus disease, predominantly of dental origin (53%) or primary sinusitis (25.7%).
- The rostral (situated toward the front), more dependent sinus compartments like the rostral maxillary sinus and the ventral conchal sinus were the most involved, with 94.7% and 87% occurrence respectively.
- The involvement of caudal maxillary sinus, dorsal conchal sinus, frontal sinus, ethmoidal sinus and sphenopalatine sinus was notably less.
- Intercurrent, ipsilateral nasal disorders, particularly infection of the nasal conchal bullae (NCB) were found in 56% of horses with sinus disorders.
- Both ventral and dorsal NCBs were affected in 18% of the cases, with ventral NCBs and dorsal NCBs individually affecting 42.3% and 29% respectively.
Conclusion and Implications
The study was able to establish that the rostral maxillary sinus and ventral conchal sinus are the most commonly impacted sinus compartments in horses suffering from sinus diseases.
- The research also noted a high prevalence of nasal conchal bullae disorders in horses with sinus disease.
- This study provides critical insight to equine medical practitioners in diagnosing and treating equine sinus diseases.
- However, it’s important to note that the observed CT images and findings were primarily from horses of high value and with more problematic cases, and may not represent the general horse population’s typical clinical picture.
Cite This Article
APA
Dixon PM, Barnett TP, Morgan RE, Reardon RJM.
(2020).
Computed Tomographic Assessment of Individual Paranasal Sinus Compartment and Nasal Conchal Bulla Involvement in 300 Cases of Equine Sinonasal Disease.
Front Vet Sci, 7, 580356.
https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2020.580356 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and The Roslin Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
- Rossdales Equine Hospital, Exning, United Kingdom.
- The Royal Veterinary College, Hatfield, United Kingdom.
- The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and The Roslin Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
References
This article includes 30 references
- Tremaine WH, Dixon PM. A long-term study of 277 cases of equine sinonasal disease. Part 1: details of horses, historical, clinical and ancillary diagnostic findings.. Equine Vet J 2001 May;33(3):274-82.
- Dixon PM, Parkin TD, Collins N, Hawkes C, Townsend NB, Fisher G, Ealey R, Barakzai SZ. Historical and clinical features of 200 cases of equine sinus disease.. Vet Rec 2011 Oct 22;169(17):439.
- Dixon PM, Parkin TD, Collins N, Hawkes C, Townsend N, Tremaine WH, Fisher G, Ealey R, Barakzai SZ. Equine paranasal sinus disease: a long-term study of 200 cases (1997-2009): ancillary diagnostic findings and involvement of the various sinus compartments.. Equine Vet J 2012 May;44(3):267-71.
- O'Leary JM, Dixon PM. A review of equine paranasal sinusitis: aetiopathogenesis, clinical signs and ancillary diagnostic techniques. Equine Vet Educ (2011) 23:148–59.
- Feige K, Geissbuhler U, Furdt A, Ehrat F, Schwarzald C. Paranasal disease in horses: a retrospective study of 55 cases. Pferdeheilkunde (2000) 16:495–501.
- Quinn GC, Kidd JA, Lane JG. Modified frontonasal sinus flap surgery in standing horses: surgical findings and outcomes of 60 cases.. Equine Vet J 2005 Mar;37(2):138-42.
- Perkins JD, Windley Z, Dixon PM, Smith M, Barakzai SZ. Sinoscopic treatment of rostral maxillary and ventral conchal sinusitis in 60 horses.. Vet Surg 2009 Jul;38(5):613-9.
- Hart SK, Sullins KE. Evaluation of a novel post operative treatment for sinonasal disease in the horse (1996-2007).. Equine Vet J 2011 Jan;43(1):24-9.
- Gibbs C, Lane JG. Radiographic examination of the facial, nasal and paranasal sinus regions of the horse. II. Radiological findings.. Equine Vet J 1987 Sep;19(5):474-82.
- Tietje S, Becker M, Böckenhoff G. Computed tomographic evaluation of head diseases in the horse: 15 cases.. Equine Vet J 1996 Mar;28(2):98-105.
- Henninger W, Frame EM, Willmann M, Simhofer H, Malleczek D, Kneissl SM, Mayrhofer E. CT features of alveolitis and sinusitis in horses.. Vet Radiol Ultrasound 2003 May-Jun;44(3):269-76.
- Veraa S, Voorhout G, Klein WR. Computed tomography of the upper cheek teeth in horses with infundibular changes and apical infection.. Equine Vet J 2009 Dec;41(9):872-6.
- Cissell DD, Wisner ER, Textor J, Mohr FC, Scrivani PV, Théon AP. Computed tomographic appearance of equine sinonasal neoplasia.. Vet Radiol Ultrasound 2012 May-Jun;53(3):245-51.
- Textor JA, Puchalski SM, Affolter VK, MacDonald MH, Galuppo LD, Wisner ER. Results of computed tomography in horses with ethmoid hematoma: 16 cases (1993-2005).. J Am Vet Med Assoc 2012 Jun 1;240(11):1338-44.
- Bühler M, Fürst A, Lewis FI, Kummer M, Ohlerth S. Computed tomographic features of apical infection of equine maxillary cheek teeth: a retrospective study of 49 horses.. Equine Vet J 2014 Jul;46(4):468-73.
- Edwards RA, Hermans H, Veraa S. Morphological variations of the infraorbital canal during CT has limited association with headshaking in horses.. Vet Radiol Ultrasound 2019 Sep;60(5):485-492.
- Dubois BB, Dixon JJ, Witte TH. Assessment of clinical and computed tomographic findings for association with the outcome of intraoral cheek tooth extraction in horses and ponies.. J Am Vet Med Assoc 2019 Dec 15;255(12):1369-1376.
- Liuti T, Smith S, Dixon PM. Radiographic, computed tomographic, gross pathological and histological findings with suspected apical infection in 32 equine maxillary cheek teeth (2012-2015).. Equine Vet J 2018 Jan;50(1):41-47.
- Liuti T, Smith S, Dixon PM. A Comparison of Computed Tomographic, Radiographic, Gross and Histological, Dental, and Alveolar Findings in 30 Abnormal Cheek Teeth from Equine Cadavers.. Front Vet Sci 2017;4:236.
- Smallwood JE, Wood BC, Taylor WE, Tate LP Jr. Anatomic reference for computed tomography of the head of the foal.. Vet Radiol Ultrasound 2002 Mar-Apr;43(2):99-117.
- Windley Z, Weller R, Tremaine WH, Perkins JD. Two- and three-dimensional computed tomographic anatomy of the enamel, infundibulae and pulp of 126 equine cheek teeth. Part 1: Findings in teeth without macroscopic occlusal or computed tomographic lesions.. Equine Vet J 2009 May;41(5):433-40.
- Brinkschulte M, Bienert-Zeit A, Lüpke M, Hellige M, Ohnesorge B, Staszyk C. The sinonasal communication in the horse: examinations using computerized three-dimensional reformatted renderings of computed-tomography datasets.. BMC Vet Res 2014 Mar 19;10:72.
- Liuti T, Reardon R, Smith S, Dixon PM. An anatomical study of the dorsal and ventral nasal conchal bullae in normal horses: Computed tomographic anatomical and morphometric findings.. Equine Vet J 2016 Nov;48(6):749-755.
- Liuti T, Reardon R, Dixon PM. Computed tomographic assessment of equine maxillary cheek teeth anatomical relationships, and paranasal sinus volumes.. Vet Rec 2017 Oct 28;181(17):452.
- Dixon PM, Froydenlund T, Luiti T, Kane-Smyth J, Horbal A, Reardon RJ. Empyema of the nasal conchal bulla as a cause of chronic unilateral nasal discharge in the horse: 10 cases (2013-2014).. Equine Vet J 2015 Jul;47(4):445-9.
- Kolos F, Bodecek S, Vyvial M, Krisova S, Mrackova M. Transnasal endoscopic treatment of equine sinus disease in 14 clinical cases. Equine Vet Educ (2020) 32:e116–24.
- Hargreaves L, Dixon JJ. Computed tomographic description of the highly variable imaging features of equine oromaxillary sinus and oronasal fistulae.. Vet Radiol Ultrasound 2018 Sep;59(5):571-576.
- Giavitto A, Barakzai S. Radiographic identification of the equine dorsal and ventral nasal conchal bullae. Equine Vet Educ (2019) 31:264–70.
- Tremaine WH, Dixon PM. A long-term study of 277 cases of equine sinonasal disease. Part 2: treatments and results of treatments.. Equine Vet J 2001 May;33(3):283-9.
- Dixon PM, Parkin TD, Collins N, Hawkes C, Townsend N, Tremaine WH, Fisher G, Ealey R, Barakzai SZ. Equine paranasal sinus disease: a long-term study of 200 cases (1997-2009): treatments and long-term results of treatments.. Equine Vet J 2012 May;44(3):272-6.
Citations
This article has been cited 6 times.- Stieger-Vanegas SM, Hanna AL. The Role of Computed Tomography in Imaging Non-neurologic Disorders of the Head in Equine Patients. Front Vet Sci 2022;9:798216.
- Kozłowska N, Wierzbicka M, Jasiński T, Domino M. Advances in the Diagnosis of Equine Respiratory Diseases: A Review of Novel Imaging and Functional Techniques. Animals (Basel) 2022 Feb 4;12(3).
- Sidwell A, Shanklin A, Miller H, Cahoon M, Hole SL, Bianco C, Pereira R. Full Clinical Pathological and Bacteriological Investigation of a Giant Nasal Polyp Associated With the Developing Apex of the Permanent Fourth Premolar (Triadan 108) in a 3-year-old Connemara Filly: A Case Report. Vet Med Sci 2026 Jan;12(1):e70756.
- Mendes RP, Lima AE, da Cunha R, Bittar MJ, Vasconcelos CC, Piñeros DDV, Corrêa RR. Complementary Radiographic Projection for Evaluation of the Conchal Sinuses and Bullae in Horses. Vet Radiol Ultrasound 2025 May;66(3):e70046.
- Borowska M, Lipowicz P, Daunoravičienė K, Turek B, Jasiński T, Pauk J, Domino M. Three-Dimensional Segmentation of Equine Paranasal Sinuses in Multidetector Computed Tomography Datasets: Preliminary Morphometric Assessment Assisted with Clustering Analysis. Sensors (Basel) 2024 May 30;24(11).
- Borowska M, Jasiński T, Gierasimiuk S, Pauk J, Turek B, Górski K, Domino M. Three-Dimensional Segmentation Assisted with Clustering Analysis for Surface and Volume Measurements of Equine Incisor in Multidetector Computed Tomography Data Sets. Sensors (Basel) 2023 Nov 2;23(21).
Use Nutrition Calculator
Check if your horse's diet meets their nutrition requirements with our easy-to-use tool Check your horse's diet with our easy-to-use tool
Talk to a Nutritionist
Discuss your horse's feeding plan with our experts over a free phone consultation Discuss your horse's diet over a phone consultation
Submit Diet Evaluation
Get a customized feeding plan for your horse formulated by our equine nutritionists Get a custom feeding plan formulated by our nutritionists
