MRV is not recommended as a stand-alone study but rather a complementary examination to standard head and sinus MRI because other potential complications may be missed with when only MRV is used. Symptoms at presentation that suggest intracranial complications include Pott puffy tumor, altered consciousness, seizures, hemiparesis, and cranial nerve palsy [19-23]. Complications include meningitis, encephalitis, epidural and subdural suppuration, orbital abscess, and, less commonly, brain abscess and dural sinus thrombophlebitis [19-23]. MRA Head When clinical or imaging findings point to potential vascular complications of sinusitis such as mycotic aneurysm, MR angiography (MRA) can be performed, either as a follow-up study or as part of the initial MRI protocol [66]. MRA for the brain can be performed without IV contrast administration. MRA is not recommended as a stand-alone study but rather a complementary examination to standard head and sinus MRI because other potential complications may be missed when only MRA is used. MRI Head and Paranasal Sinuses MRI of the paranasal sinuses and head with IV contrast are complementary imaging studies that should be performed to evaluate for complications of sinusitis. MRI is a radiation-free, high-contrast resolution imaging modality. The primary role of MRI in the clinical setting of sinusitis is to detect intracranial and orbital complications. It is more sensitive than CT with IV contrast (93% versus 63%) for detecting intracranial complications of sinusitis [21,25]. Studies have shown that MRI is significantly more accurate than CT (97% versus 87%) and clinical findings (82%) in diagnosing meningitis [25]. Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) can localize or confirm presence of purulent material as it typically presents with restricted diffusion. Although MRI is also more sensitive than CT in diagnosing the presence of osteomyelitis, it does not demonstrate the bony detail of the osteomeatal complex well and is less sensitive to bony erosions.
Sinusitis Child. MRV is not recommended as a stand-alone study but rather a complementary examination to standard head and sinus MRI because other potential complications may be missed with when only MRV is used. Symptoms at presentation that suggest intracranial complications include Pott puffy tumor, altered consciousness, seizures, hemiparesis, and cranial nerve palsy [19-23]. Complications include meningitis, encephalitis, epidural and subdural suppuration, orbital abscess, and, less commonly, brain abscess and dural sinus thrombophlebitis [19-23]. MRA Head When clinical or imaging findings point to potential vascular complications of sinusitis such as mycotic aneurysm, MR angiography (MRA) can be performed, either as a follow-up study or as part of the initial MRI protocol [66]. MRA for the brain can be performed without IV contrast administration. MRA is not recommended as a stand-alone study but rather a complementary examination to standard head and sinus MRI because other potential complications may be missed when only MRA is used. MRI Head and Paranasal Sinuses MRI of the paranasal sinuses and head with IV contrast are complementary imaging studies that should be performed to evaluate for complications of sinusitis. MRI is a radiation-free, high-contrast resolution imaging modality. The primary role of MRI in the clinical setting of sinusitis is to detect intracranial and orbital complications. It is more sensitive than CT with IV contrast (93% versus 63%) for detecting intracranial complications of sinusitis [21,25]. Studies have shown that MRI is significantly more accurate than CT (97% versus 87%) and clinical findings (82%) in diagnosing meningitis [25]. Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) can localize or confirm presence of purulent material as it typically presents with restricted diffusion. Although MRI is also more sensitive than CT in diagnosing the presence of osteomyelitis, it does not demonstrate the bony detail of the osteomeatal complex well and is less sensitive to bony erosions.