Evaluation of maxillary sinus volume and surface area in children with β-thalassaemia using cone beam computed tomography

Abstract

Objectives: Among children with beta-thalassaemia, skeletal changes and abnormalities, such as decreased volume or obliteration of the sinus, result primarily from hypertrophy and expansion of the erythroid marrow due to ineffective erythropoiesis. This study evaluated the volumes and surface areas of the maxillary sinuses of children with beta-thalassaemia using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT), and compared these findings with corresponding measurements in age- and sex-matched control children.

Methods: CBCT images were retrospectively evaluated for 16 children with beta-thalassaemia, 19 children with a class I skeletal pattern (class I group), and 18 children with a class II skeletal pattern (class II group). After three-dimensional analyses and segmentation of each maxillary sinus, the volumes and surface areas were calculated.

Results: The volumes and surface areas of the right (p > 0.05 and p > 0.05) and left maxillary sinuses (p > 0.05 and p > 0.05) and SNA angles (p > 0.05) were not significantly different among the groups. The ANB (p < 0.05) and SNGoMe (p < 0.05) angles were significantly greater and the SNB (p < 0.05) angle was significantly smaller in the class II and thalassaemia groups than in the class I group.

Conclusion: Children with thalassaemia tended to have lower maxillary sinus volumes and surface areas on both right and left sides, compared to those of children with class I and class II skeletal patterns; however, these differences were not statistically significant. In children with thalassaemia, a large intermaxillary discrepancy (ANB) indicated a tendency toward the class II skeletal pattern.