SINUSITIS DIAGNOSIS

• Tapping over a sinus area. Tenderness may indicate infection.
• Shining a light against the sinus (called transillumination). If dark, this indicates possible inflammation.

Other tests that might be considered include:

• Viewing the sinuses through a fiberoptic scope
• Ultrasound
• X-ray of the sinuses
• Cultures of the material from the nose

However, these tests are relatively insensitive for detecting sinusitis, and are often considered unnecessary.

A CT scan of the sinuses is a much better test to help diagnose sinusitis. If sinusitis is thought to involve tumor or fungal infections, an MRI of the sinuses may be necessary.

If you have chronic or recurrent sinusitis, further laboratory evaluation may be necessary to look for an underlying disorder. This may involve sweat chloride tests for cystic fibrosis, ciliary function tests, blood tests for HIV or other tests for immunodeficiency, allergy testing, or nasal cytology (checking the cells in the nasal secretions).