(PO71) Correlation Between Volumetric Measurement of Maxillary Sinus Mucositis and Apical Periodontitis in Maxillary Molars Teeth: A Retrospective Study

Abstract: This study investigates the hypothesis that there is a correlation between the volume of maxillary sinus mucositis and the volume of apical periodontitis. This research aims to explore and substantiate this hypothesis, providing evidence for a relationship. Understanding this potential correlation holds clinical implications, guiding clinicians in diagnosis, outcomes assessment, and interdisciplinary collaboration between dentistry and otolaryngology. The study aims to explore and substantiate the hypothesis of a correlation between the volume of maxillary sinus mucositis and the volume of apical periodontitis, as measured on CBCT. In this retrospective study, patients with CBCT displaying the entire maxillary sinus, either unilaterally or bilaterally, who showed measurable apical periodontitis and no response to pulp sensibility tests, were examined. CBCT scans originating from patients referred to MUSC within a specified date range were included. Exclusion criteria considered factors such as minimum age, visibility of the maxillary sinus in scans, history of interventions or trauma, and the presence of artifacts. Image analysis utilized ITK-SNAP, applying semi-AI techniques for grey value limits and threshold segmentation. Statistical analyses were employed to identify correlations between volumetric measurements of maxillary sinus mucositis and apical periodontitis. The study has achieved 80% statistical power with a significance level (alpha) set at 0.05 for the t-test.From the evaluated cases, a significant correlation between the volume of maxillary sinus mucositis and periapical periodontitis was observed, particularly when the periapical lesion volume exceeded 200 microliters.