Proposal for staging of inflammatory lesions in the frontal region

Acta Otorrinolaringol Esp. 2016 Sep-Oct;67(5):288-92. doi: 10.1016/j.otorri.2015.07.002. Epub 2015 Nov 15.
[Article in English, Spanish]

Abstract

Frontal swelling can be due to multiple etiologies, including: mucocele, Pott's puffy tumor, fibro osseous lesions, benign and malignant neoplasms of the nose and paranasal sinuses, intracranial lesions, and metastasis. The objective of this study was to describe the clinical protocol used for the diagnosis of patients presented with frontal swelling and the proposal for staging of inflammatory lesions. We performed an observational retrospective analysis. We found 7 cases of patients with frontal swelling: 4 cases secondary to inflammatory pathology (3 Potts puffy tumors and one frontal mucocele), and 3 cases secondary to neoplasms (one benign and 2 malignant neoplasms). It's very important to consider the wide differential diagnosis that can present as frontal swelling, from inflammatory pathologies secondary to possible advanced infections of the paranasal sinuses to invasive malignant neoplasms. We propose a system of staging of frontal inflammatory lesions.

Keywords: Frontal sinus; Frontal sinusitis; Pott's puffy tumor; Seno frontal; Sinusitis frontal; Tumor de Pott-Puffy.

Publication types

  • Observational Study

MeSH terms

  • Algorithms
  • Carcinoma, Papillary / complications
  • Carcinoma, Papillary / diagnostic imaging
  • Carcinoma, Papillary / pathology
  • Carcinoma, Papillary / secondary
  • Cellulitis / diagnostic imaging
  • Cellulitis / etiology
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Edema / diagnostic imaging
  • Edema / etiology*
  • Fibrous Dysplasia, Monostotic / complications
  • Fibrous Dysplasia, Monostotic / diagnostic imaging
  • Fibrous Dysplasia, Monostotic / pathology
  • Forehead* / diagnostic imaging
  • Frontal Bone / diagnostic imaging
  • Frontal Bone / pathology*
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Mucocele / complications
  • Mucocele / diagnostic imaging
  • Mucocele / pathology*
  • Nose Neoplasms / complications
  • Nose Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging
  • Nose Neoplasms / pathology
  • Papilloma, Inverted / complications
  • Papilloma, Inverted / diagnostic imaging
  • Papilloma, Inverted / pathology
  • Paranasal Sinus Neoplasms / complications
  • Paranasal Sinus Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging
  • Paranasal Sinus Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Pott Puffy Tumor / complications
  • Pott Puffy Tumor / diagnostic imaging
  • Pott Puffy Tumor / pathology*
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Sinusitis / complications
  • Sinusitis / diagnostic imaging
  • Skull Neoplasms / complications
  • Skull Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging
  • Skull Neoplasms / pathology
  • Thyroid Neoplasms / pathology
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed