Anthropometric study of the frontal sinus on plain radiographs in Delta State University Teaching Hospital

INTRODUCTION: The paranasal sinuses are air-filled spaces located within the bones of the skull and face. The different anatomical dimensions of paranasal sinuses can be obtained from plain radiograph and computed tomography images. Determining the possible significant variation of the right and frontal sinuses of males and females is essential for clinical purpose. PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: The purpose of this study, therefore, was to measure the anthropometric length and width of the frontal sinus on plain radiograph in different age groups and to determine the possible variations in males and females. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This descriptive cross-sectional study adopted the simple random sampling technique. The study population comprised 200 individuals (100 males and 100 females). RESULTS: Frontal sinus length and width were measured using the inelastic plastic ruler (in centimeter) and recorded on a data sheet pro forma. The mean total frontal sinus length and frontal sinus width across the entire population for both the right and left sides as regards males and females were given as (4.42 ± 4.79 cm, 3.85 ± 4.24 cm, 4.05 ± 4.44 cm, 3.57 ± 3.93 cm) and (3.64 ± 4.01 cm, 3.29 ± 3.46 cm, 3.23 ± 3.57 cm, 2.83 ± 3.13 cm), respectively. The Student's t-test statistics between the right and left sides in each of the studied parameters were highly statistically significant (P = 0.000). CONCLUSION: The frontal sinus is a constant structure in human beings, but shape and dimensions may vary among individuals; thus, the dimorphic nature of the left frontal sinus dimensions has implications for human identification.