[Evaluation of rhinorrhea by computed tomography cisternography].

PURPOSE: We aimed to emphasize the indication for and importance of CT cisternography in the diagnosis of rhinorrhea patients by reviewing the literature with the support of unenhanced cranial CT findings. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Unenhanced cranial CT with axial sections and CT cisternography with coronal sections were performed in 14 patients who had spontaneous (n = 3) and posttraumatic (n = 11), intermittent or continuous CSF rhinorrhea. The slice thickness of infratentorial planes was 5 mm and supratentorial planes 10 mm. CT cisternography was performed from nasion to dorsum sella with a 3 mm slice thickness and 3 mm intervals. Bony and/or dural defects with entry of contrast into the ipsilateral paranasal sinuses were accepted as positive results. RESULTS: A CSF fistula was determined in nine of eleven posttraumatic patients. Three of them had accompanying cerebral herniation while on had a pseudomeningocele. The etiology of two spontaneous rhinorrhea patients was shown to be empty sella and meningocele pouch respectively. Eleven patients (nine posttraumatic, two spontaneous) whose CSF fistula had been shown on CT cisternography were operated on and our findings were confirmed. CSF fistula or bony defect was not observed in the CT cisternography of 3 biochemically proven rhinorrhea patients (2 posttraumatic, 1 spontaneous). These 3 patients were clinically observed and their rhinorrhea ended spontaneously. One posttraumatic patient who had had 2 operations had recurrence of rhinorrhea with an infected extradural collection six months after the operation. Another posttraumatic patient developed meningitis before CT cisternography. CONCLUSION: CT cisternography should be the preferred examination method in rhinorrhea patients, since it is cheaper than MR cisternography, is a widely used scanning technique and reduces the risks of surgical recurrences by showing the exact location of the fistula.