Sinus X-ray (complete)

What it is

There are four paired sets of sinuses: above the eyes, behind the cheeks, between the eyes, and deep behind the nose. Each is normally an empty, air-filled pocket. A sinus x-ray works on a simple contrast — air lets the beam through and prints black, while fluid, swollen lining, or a growth blocks it and prints grey. Because the pockets sit at different depths, a complete series uses several angled projections, and one of them is often taken upright so that any loose fluid settles and forms a visible level. This code is that complete multi-view series rather than a single view.

Why it is done

• To look for fluid or thickened lining in the sinuses when an infection is suspected
• To assess a structural problem such as a deviated septum or a blocked drainage path
• To investigate a facial injury involving the bones around the sinuses
• To check the sinuses before an ear, nose, and throat procedure

What to expect

The patient sits upright facing the film holder with the chin and nose positioned against it, and the technologist repositions the head between exposures — tilted back for one view, turned for another. Being asked to hold an awkward head position for a few seconds is the least comfortable part. The whole appointment is usually ten to fifteen minutes. A point worth knowing: sinus x-rays are limited. They show the larger sinuses reasonably and the small ethmoid cells poorly, and a clear film does not rule out disease, which is why a CT is often the next step rather than a repeat.

Questions worth asking

• Is a sinus CT likely to be ordered anyway? If so, it is worth asking whether the x-ray adds enough to be worth its own bill.
• Was this ordered from a specialist's office but performed at a hospital? The site of service can change the price substantially.
• If the images are inconclusive, is a repeat study charged again at full price, or is there a policy for re-imaging?
• Does the quoted price include the radiologist's report, or only the pictures?