Low mAs value enables comparable detectability of sinonasal landmarks with standard-dose protocols in patients without analysed risk factors. In conclusion, preoperatively, low-dose protocols may not sufficiently visualise the surgically relevant anatomical structures in patients with CRS and bronchial asthma, advanced nasal polyps (LS > 2) and history of sinus surgery. The AEA was scored as an average-defined structure and was the second weakest visualised. Identification of anterior ethmoid artery (AEA) with reduced dose was insignificantly worse than with standard-dose examination. Cribriform plates were the most poorly identified (between poor and average) among all the structures on low-dose images. Identification of lamina papyracea on low-dose scans was significantly worse in each group and the same was the case with cribriform plates in patients with advanced polyposis and anosmia. On the low-dose CT images, detectability ranged from 2.42 (better than poor) for cribriform plate among anosmic cases to 4.11 (better than good) for lamina papyracea in cases without nasal polyps.

Olfactory function was tested with the “Sniffin’ Sticks” test. Polyp sizes were quantified endoscopically according to the Lildholdt’s scale (LS).

The detectability of the vital anatomical structures (anterior ethmoid artery, optic nerve, cribriform plate and lamina papyracea) was scored using a five-point scale (from excellent to unacceptable) by a radiologist and sinus surgeon. 135 adult CRS patients were divided randomly into standard-dose (120 kVp, 100 mAs) or low-dose CT groups (120 kVp, 45 mAs). presence of bronchial asthma, history of sinus surgery and advanced nasal polyposis).

The aim of the study was to compare visualisation of the surgically relevant anatomical structures via low- and standard-dose multidetector CT protocol in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) and higher risk for perioperative complications (i.e.

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