Clinical and radiological aspects of rhinoliths: report of five cases

Abstract

Rhinoliths are calcified masses in the nasal cavity caused by the deposition of nasal, lacrimal, and inflammatory mineral salts by accretion around an endogenous or exogenous nidus. Rhinoliths can be seen as incidental findings on panoramic radiography, although they typically appear blurred due to remaining outside the focus. Therefore, rhinoliths may be difficult to recognize; this difficulty can lead to misdiagnosis. Computed tomography (CT)/cone beam CT (CBCT) scans are generally necessary to define the precise location and to make a differential diagnosis. This article describes radiologic features of five cases of rhinoliths that were detected incidentally on panoramic radiographs. CT or CBCT images were obtained before removing the rhinoliths.