The evaluation of nasal cavity morphometry by stereological method

The aim of this study is to make morphometric measurements of nasal cavity and the inside and to evaluate their volumetric values with stereological method. This will contribute to the clinical practices about the anatomy of this region. For the purpose, cone-beam computed tomography images of 200 healthy individuals aged between 8-59 years were retrospectively evaluated. Piriforme aperture heigth end width, concha length and volume, distance between concha nasi inferior and lamina cribrosa, nasal cavity heigth, width and volume, nasal septum length and volume, nasal septum posterior length, nasal septum deviation angle, hard plate length were measured on the images. The mean volumes of nasal septum, left and right nasal cavity, left and right inferior nasal conchae, left and right medial nasal conchae are 4.99±1.51 cm³, 7.44±2.93 cm³, 7.68±2.99 cm³, 3.10±1.11 cm³, 3.04±1.02 cm³, 1.32±0.56 cm³, 1.28±0.49 cm³ respectively. The mean values of the structures according to age and sex were obtained. Differences between the groups and genders of all parameters were examined. The volumetric rates of the measured volumes were calculated. The measurements of PDU, SNG, SDA, ChG, SNAU, CNSU do not have statistically significant differences according to age and sex (p>0.05). There is no statistically significant difference in the measurements of PDU, ChY, ChG, SNAU, CNSU depending on age (p>0.05). The obtained data in the study may assist clinicians for evaluating the treatment of pathological conditions related to the nasal cavity and in the planning of treatment, planning preoperational evaluations especially in dentistry, otorhinolaryngology and plastic surgery fields before and after treatment.