The roles of direct x-ray and computerized tomography in demonstration of nasal fractures

Abstract

Objectives: To examine the patients with nasal trauma by nasal xray and computerized tomography (CT) and compare two methods each other.Methods: The patients that admitted to emergency department due to nasal trauma between April 2004 and March 2005 and were treated with closed nasal reduction were examined. Twenty patients who first had nasal x-ray and then nasal CT were included in the study.Results: Fracture of the nasal bone was detected in only 9 of these patients (45%) by nasal x-ray, however the fracture line was apparent in all of them by nasal CT.Conclusion: It is concluded that nasal x-ray is unsuccessful to demonstrate nasal fractures. However CT is objective method to demonstrate the nasal fracture.

Keywords

• nasal fracture
• nasal graphy
• computerized tomography