Identification of the anterior ethmoid arteries on thin-section axial images and coronal reformatted orbit images by means of multidetector row CT

AIM: The aim of this study was to identify anterior ethmoid arteries on thin-section axial images and coronal reformatted images of the orbits using multidetector row computed tomography (CT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred and thirty-two patients underwent paranasal CT using a 16-row detector CT (n = 59) or a 6-row detector CT machine (n = 73) at 1 or 1.25 mm section width, respectively. Coronal images were reformatted at section widths of 3 and 1 mm. The anterior ethmoid arteries were identified for each patient. Differences were assessed using the chi-square test. RESULTS: All CT images were of approximately average diagnostic quality. Anterior ethmoid arteries were identified in 97.5 and 96.6% at section thicknesses of 1 and 1.25 mm on the axial images, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference in the detection rate (p=0.89). On the corona[ images, anterior ethmoid arteries were presented tangentially in 75.4 and 90.2% at section widths of 3 and 1 mm, respectively. The visibility of the anterior ethmoid arteries was rated significantly better on coronal images at a section width of 1 mm than on those at section widths of 3 mm (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Thin-section axial images and corona[ reformatted images using multi-detector row CT mostly depict anterior ethmoid arteries, and are useful to identify anterior ethmoid arteries for preoperative evaluation of paranasal sinuses. (c) 2006 The Royal College of Radiologists. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.