Here's slice 22. Don't you think the swirly pattern is pretty? At this level, my maxillary sinuses look nice and clear, I think (again, what do I know? I'm not a doctor...):
But a mere 10 slices away, there's a big difference between the left and right:
Maybe that's normal; it looks almost like a difference in the bony structure of my face. That doesn't surprise me, because as people go, I'm more asymmetrical than most. (Not that anyone notices.) Of course, that could also be the result of the time my head broke a windshield and my jaw dented a dashboard. I know my jaw was cracked in that accident, and it wouldn't be surprising to learn that my cheekbones were damaged as well. I don't remember my face hurting so much as my jaw, which had a lump on it the size of a small plum, but that doesn't mean it didn't hurt. I just can't remember it -- it was more than 30 years ago, after all, and if we're not allowed to forget car accidents, what can we forget?
Here's a good introductory page on sinuses and sinusitis.
I called the ENT yesterday to see what was up, and I was on hold for the shortest time ever before the receptionist got back on the line to say, "You need to come in." (I'm pretty sure they called me last week, but the new printer/fax machine had been set, inadvertently, to answer the phone, so anyone who tried to leave a message last week got an earful of fax-screeching.)
I'm going Thursday, and it's not soon enough. My sinuses filled up with gunk again at the end of last week, and I'm feeling distinctly unwell. It's too soon for antibiotics now (it has been less than a week), but it may not be, by Thursday. I am strangely calm about this, mostly because I'm not expecting anything relating to my cancer to have shown up in this scan. I realize I could be wrong about that, but I'm just going to continue along my merry way and pretend we're just looking at the sinuses here, and that whatever it is that's happening, it's not something that requires surgical intervention.
3 comments:
Kinda looks like my sinus CT scans -- 2 of them 6 months apart. I'm not symmetrical either. Difference being, I have a moderate-sized polyp or cyst or something hanging out in my right maxillary sinus.
I'm not saying yours is normal. I'm just saying I could see the polyp on mine. I think not worrying is a good plan.
I could say something about a lot of empty space in that head.
I should say that.
I would say that, but I want to remain friends. :>)
Know what you mean with the sinus thingies. Mine finally cleared up with saline treatment and something called Rhinocort. Problem gone - haven't had a sinus infection in at least fifteen years.
rad rooms are in emergency rooms, trauma specialists often turn to the Universal Digital Systems digital radiography units.
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