The evaluation of eustachian tube paratubal structures using magnetic resonance imaging in patients with nasal obstruction
Suat Terzi1, Fatma Beyazal Çeliker2, Engin Dursun1, Abdulkadir Özgür3, Mehmet Beyazal2, Metin Çeliker1, Münir Demirci4
1Recep Tayyip Erdogan Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi, Kulak Burun Boğaz Anabilim Dalı, Rize, Türkiye
2Recep Tayyip Erdogan Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi, Radyoloji Anabilim Dalı, Rize, Türkiye
3Sağlık Bilimleri Üniversitesi, Samsun Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi Kulak Burun Boğaz Kliniği, Samsun, Türkiye
4Ankara MedicalPark Hastanesi, Kulak Burun Boğaz Bölümü, Ankara, Türkiye
Keywords: Eustachian tube, magnetic resonance imaging, nasal obstruction.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: In this study, we aimed to evaluate the eustachian tube paratubal structures of patients with unilateral nasal obstruction using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
METHODS: Between January 2018 and December 2020, a total of 30 patients (17 males, 13 females; mean age: 56 years; range, 18 to 67 years) who were followed with a diagnosis of unilateral nasal mass in our clinic and evaluated by MRI were included in the study. The thickness, length, and mean muscle volumes of tensor veli palatini and levator veli palatini muscles were measured from the largest section obtained from the MRI sections and compared with the healthy side measurements.
RESULTS: The mean tensor veli palatini muscle thickness, length, and volume of the patients with nasal obstruction were 3.7±0.6 mm, 26.4±2.1 mm, and 2.1±0.5 cm³, respectively. The mean levator veli palatini muscle thickness, length, and volume were 5.7±0.5 mm, 23.9±2.3 mm, and 3.0±0.6 cm³, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference between the paratubal structures of the sides with and without obstruction (p>0.05).
CONCLUSION: This study showed that unilateral nasal obstruction did not pose a significant change in the eustachian tube paratubal structures. However, further large-scale, longer-term clinical studies are needed on this subject.