Evaluation of the Prevalence of Concha Bullosa in Cone-Beam Computed Tomography Images

Background: The ostiomeatal complex (OMC) is not a separate anatomical structure although it is a functional unit of structures, including the middle meatus, uncinate process, infundibulum, maxillary sinus ostium, ethmoidal bulla, anterior ethmoid sinus ostium, and frontal recess. Concha bullosa is the pneumatization of the concha, which is one of the most common anatomical variations in the middle turbinate. Methods: This study was conducted using the cone - beam computed tomography (CBCT) images of 172 patients in the archives of the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, Dentistry School, Ahvaz Jundishapur. Patient information including age and gender, presence or absence of concha bullosa, the involved side (left or right), and its type (i.e., extensive, lamellar, and bulbous) were collected in the information form. Finally, the chi-square test (with SPSS, version 22) was used to analyze the data, and P value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Patients with and without concha bullosa were 39.1 and 41.7 years, respectively, but it was no significant difference in terms of age (P = 0.321). Out of 52 patients with concha bullosa, 19 (36.5%) cases were males and 33 (63.5%) of them were females. The prevalence of concha bullosa was higher for the bilateral side (20 patients, 38.5%, P = 0.000). The prevalence of bulbulsand lamellar-shape was nearly the same (32.7% and 30.8%, respectively). Eventually, the extensive shape with 36.5% was more frequent for the shape of concha bullosa (P = 0.000). Conclusions: The prevalence of concha bullosa was high. There was no significant difference in terms of age (P = 0.321) and gender (P = 0.058) of patients with concha bullosa. The extensive type and the bilateral appearance of concha bullosa were more significant (P = 0.000).