Affiliations 

  • 1 Rhinology and Skull Base Research Group, Applied Medical Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia. Electronic address: eugene.hl.wong@gmail.com
  • 2 Rhinology and Skull Base Research Group, Applied Medical Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia; Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  • 3 Rhinology and Skull Base Research Group, Applied Medical Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
  • 4 Rhinology and Skull Base Research Group, Applied Medical Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia; Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
Am J Otolaryngol, 2018 06 22;39(5):570-574.
PMID: 29961655 DOI: 10.1016/j.amjoto.2018.06.019

Abstract

PURPOSE: Middle turbinate head edema has recently been found to have high specificity for diagnosis of inhalant allergy. However, subtle mucosal edema can be difficult to appreciate under white light endoscopy. Narrow band imaging (NBI) has the potential to demonstrate edema by identifying reduced mucosal vascularity and improve sensitivity for the detection of mucosal edema. Narrow band imaging was assessed to determine its utility in objectifying mucosal edema.

MEATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional diagnostic study was performed on patients with edematous mucosa of the middle turbinate head. Under traditional white light endoscopy, areas of edematous mucosa were identified. Using NBI, these areas were compared to areas of normal mucosa on the middle turbinate head. NBI images of these same areas were then converted to grey scale and a vascularity index was created by pixel analysis and brightness in Fiji Image J software (Wisconsin, US).

RESULTS: Thirty-three middle turbinates were assessed (age 42.4 ± 12.5, 42.4% female). NBI discriminated between areas identified under white light endoscopy as edematous and normal (158.2 ± 48.4 v 96.9 ± 32.7 p 

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.