Growth rate, impact of smoking and management of incidentally found paranasal sinus osteomas

Objective: To build upon existing literature regarding growth rate of asymptomatic, incidentally found paranasal sinus (PNS) osteomas, evaluate potential factors associated with growth rate and present an argument for how to follow up.

Methods: At our institution, EPIC SlicerDicer was used to screen imaging studies using keyword 'osteoma' and included patients with at least 2 imaging studies 6 months apart that both demonstrated a PNS osteoma(s). Imaging studies with the largest time interval were selected. Non-PNS osteomas were excluded.

Results: 47 patients that fit this criterion with a median duration of interval imaging of 35.9 months. Growth rate was measured to be 0.39 mm/year in the cephalocaudal direction and 0.45 mm/year in the mediolateral direction, together averaging 0.42 mm/year. Increases in growth rate additionally did not appear to impact the likelihood of developing conditions including nasal polyposis or chronic sinusitis and symptoms such as sinus pressure, headache, postnasal drip, or congestion. Those with interval scans >36 months were found to have a slower growth rate than those with closer interval scans. Furthermore, former smokers and current smokers had significantly greater growth rates than nonsmokers.

Conclusion: Given their slow growth rate, we conclude that select lesions likely do not require follow-up. If there is concern that growth could cause an obstructive complication, such as blocking the frontal outflow tract, we argue a single scan at one year is appropriate. If there is additional growth on this scan, surveillance scans up to 3 years could be performed to assess stability. Lastly, while there was a significant growth rate for smokers compared to non-smokers, the slow growth rate is unlikely to influence management.