Morphometric and Clinical Evaluation of Sphenopalatine Foramen on Computed Tomography Images

Abstract

Purpose This study aimed to investigate the effect of anatomical variations in the sphenopalatine foramen and the lateral nasal wall on sphenopalatine foramen-related morphometric measurements. Methods Temporal bone multidetector computed tomography records of 153 patients were evaluated. Morphometric measurements were made between the fixed anatomical landmarks and the sphenopalatine foramen. Number, shape, localization variation of the sphenopalatine foramen, concha bullosa, and septum deviation were noted. Results No significant difference was detected between the right-left sides for all distances measured except SPF-CA and SPF-BL and most of the measurements were higher in males. In addition, statistical analysis of the obtained morphometric data was performed according to age groups. Classified the shape of the sphenopalatine foramen five types and reported that the most common irregularly shaped (37.3%). In our study, 91.2% single, 7.8% double, and 1% triple sphenopalatine foramen were detected. The location of sphenopalatine foramen was reported as the most common type I. No statistically significant relationship could be determined between morphometric data and septum deviation types. SPF-NF, SPF-ML, OSPF-ANS, and HSPF-ANS measurements were found to be significantly smaller in the presence of concha bullosa, whereas SPFA was found to be higher. Conclusion This study revealed a significant relationship between the morphometric measurements of the sphenopalatine foramen and concha bullosa, while septum deviation types did not affect morphometric results. For a safer and more effective surgery with prevention of iatrogenic complications, a surgeon should be aware of this correlation, especially in endoscopic sphenopalatine foramen approaches.