A Computed Tomographic Assessment of Osteitis of Sinus Bony Structures in Horses With Sinonasal Disorders.
Authors: Dixon Padraic M, Puidupin Coline, Borkent Dewi, Liuti Tiziana, Reardon Richard J M
Journal: Frontiers in veterinary science
Summary
# Editorial Summary Dixon and colleagues conducted a retrospective CT analysis of bone changes in 59 horses with unilateral sinonasal disease to objectively quantify osteitis of sinus-related structures, measuring bone thickness at multiple sites (maxillary, frontal, infraorbital, and nasolacrimal locations), canal diameters, and bone density on both affected and healthy sides. The affected sinuses demonstrated significantly thicker bone at the three maxillary sites and both infraorbital locations (P < 0.001), whilst the infraorbital canal and bony nasolacrimal duct were also notably wider on the diseased side (P < 0.001 and P = 0.002 respectively); however, dorsal structures (frontal bone and nasolacrimal duct proper) showed no significant thickening, and bone density remained unchanged between sides. These findings provide objective CT-based evidence that osteitis—inflammation and remodelling of the bony sinus walls—is a consistent feature of equine sinonasal disease, explaining previously documented clinical signs such as ipsilateral facial swelling, epiphora, and positive nuclear scintigraphy findings. For practitioners, these results suggest that chronic sinus disease involves significant bony involvement rather than soft tissue pathology alone, which may influence treatment expectations and duration, particularly regarding resolution of facial swelling and the potential need for more aggressive medical or surgical management in cases with pronounced osteitis.
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Practical Takeaways
- •CT imaging can objectively identify osteitis in sinus disease by measuring bone thickness changes; thickened maxillary bone on the affected side is a reliable diagnostic indicator
- •Sinus osteitis explains persistent clinical signs like facial swelling and tearing in horses with chronic sinonasal disease, helping guide treatment expectations and prognosis
- •CT measurement of bone thickness and canal diameters provides objective baseline data to monitor disease progression or treatment response in individual cases
Key Findings
- •Maxillary bone thickness was significantly increased on affected sides compared to control sides (P < 0.001)
- •Infraorbital canal and bony nasolacrimal duct diameters were significantly wider on affected sides (P < 0.001 and P = 0.002)
- •Bone density showed no significant difference between affected and control sides (P = 0.306)
- •Osteitis and bony structure enlargement commonly occur in equine sinonasal disease and correlate with clinical signs of facial swelling and epiphora