Fungal Sinusitis

There are two common types of fungal sinusitis:

Allergic fungal sinusitis
Fungal ball (also known as mycetoma of the sinuses)

And there are two extremely rare types fungal sinusitis:

Acute or chronic invasive fungal sinusitis

Sometimes, fungal sinusitis is found in patients with immunocompromised systems (i.e., having diabetes or some other chronic illness).

Fungal Sinsusitis Diagnosis

Diagnosis of any type of fungal sinusitis is tricky. What doctors look for when they suspect fungal sinusitis:

If the patient has unilateral sinus disease – sinus disease all on the left side or all on the right side of the sinuses.
If the patient’s CT scan shows areas of tissue that look like fungal material (radiologists and other specialists refer to them as areas of “high density” because they look like they are partially calcified or bony).

Also, the four different sinus funguses are very different in how they affect patients, how they look during exam, what they look like on a CT, and how they are treated, so it is very important to distinguish between these four types. An extremely knowledgeable sinus specialist is your best bet in distinguishing whether you have a fungal sinus infection, which fungal infection you have and exactly how to treat it.