Analyzing Haller Cells through Cone Beam CT: Investigating Associations with Orbital Floor Dehiscence and Sinusitis

Abstract

Aims: This study aims to analyze Haller cells (infraorbital ethmoid cells) using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) to determine their association with orbital floor dehiscence and sinusitis. Place and Duration of Study: A retrospective study was conducted at the Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, Government Dental College, Chh. Sambhajinagar, from May 2024 to July 2024. Methodology: The number of ethical approval issued by the institutional committee is ECR/684/Inst/ MH/2014/RR-21. CBCT images from 150 patients were acquired using the Carestream CS 9300 machine and analyzed with TROPHY DICOM 3D Imaging Dental software (Version 6.4.0.4). The evaluation focused on coronal sections with a slice thickness of 0.899 mm. Data was recorded in Microsoft Excel (2007/2013). Descriptive and frequency analyses were performed using SPSS version 21.0. The Shapiro-Wilk test was used to check if the data followed a normal distribution. Chi-square tests were used to analyze associations, and a p-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The study included 150 participants, aged 16–62 years, with a mean age of 29.7 ± 9.16 years. Of the participants, 60% were female (90) and 40% were male (60). Haller cells were present in 42% and absent in 58%. The most common shapes of Haller cells were oval (28%), round (9.3%), irregular (2.7%), and triangular (1.3%). Sizes included large (5.3%), medium (20%), and small (14.7%). Bilateral presence was seen in 8%, unilateral in 34%, and absent in 58%. Maxillary sinusitis was present in 16.7% of participants with Haller cells, and orbital floor dehiscence was observed in 3.3%. Significant associations were found between Haller cells and maxillary sinusitis (Chi-square = 41.429, p < 0.001) and orbital floor dehiscence (Chi-square = 7.143, p = 0.012). Conclusion: The study found a significant relationship between Haller cells and maxillary sinusitis and orbital floor dehiscence, highlighting the importance of identifying Haller cells in CBCT evaluations.