Rhinolith

Case contributed by Sagar Shetty
Diagnosis almost certain

Presentation

History of nasal obstruction and purulent nasal discharge.

Patient Data

Age: 40 years
Gender: Male
ct

A well defined rounded calcified lesion noted between the right inferior meatus and nasal septum. Centrally it contains an ovoid structure with a central air-filled canal. There is deviation of the nasal septum to the left. No evidence of bony destruction. Mucosal thickening also noted in the nasal fossa and right maxillary sinus. This is suggestive of a rhinolith, presumably around a long-standing foreign body. 

Case Discussion

This patient gave a vague history of a foreign body insertion many years ago.

Rhinolith, also known as a nasal calculus,  is a rare cause of nasal obstruction and purulent nasal discharge. It results from complete or partial mineralized encrustation of intranasal foreign bodies as part of a chronic inflammatory response. 

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