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Tests and diagnosis
By Mayo Clinic staffYour doctor can usually make a diagnosis based on your answers to questions about your symptoms, a general physical exam and an examination of your nose. Polyps may be visible with the aid of a simple lighted instrument.
Other diagnostic tests include:
- Nasal endoscopy. A nasal endoscope, a narrow, flexible tube with a lighted magnifying lens or tiny camera, enables your doctor to perform a detailed examination inside your nose and sinuses. He or she inserts the endoscope into a nostril and guides it into your nasal cavity.
- Imaging studies. Images obtained with computerized tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can help your doctor pinpoint the size and location of polyps in deeper areas of your sinuses and evaluate the extent of inflammation. These studies may also help your doctor rule out the presence of other possible obstructions in your nasal cavity, such as structural abnormalities or another type of cancerous or noncancerous growth.
- Allergy tests. Your doctor may suggest skin tests to determine if allergies are contributing to chronic inflammation. With a skin prick test, tiny drops of allergy-causing agents (allergens) are pricked into the skin of your forearm or upper back. The drops are left on your skin for 15 minutes before your doctor or nurse observes your skin for signs of allergic reactions. If a skin test can't be performed, your doctor may order a blood test that screens for specific antibodies to various allergens.
- Test for cystic fibrosis. If you have a young child diagnosed with nasal polyps, your doctor may suggest testing for cystic fibrosis, an inherited condition affecting the glands that produce mucus, tears, sweat, saliva and digestive juices. The standard diagnostic test for cystic fibrosis is a noninvasive sweat test, which determines whether your child's perspiration is saltier than most people's sweat.
References
- Fried MP. Nasal polyps. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec08/ch091/ch091d.html. Accessed Nov. 12, 2010.
- Levine M. Nasal polyps. American rhinologic society. http://www.american-rhinologic.org/patientinfo.nasalpolyps.phtml. Accessed Nov. 10, 2010.
- Hamilos DL. Clinical manifestations, pathophysiology and diagnosis of chronic rhinosinusitis. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Nov. 10, 2010.
- Scadding GK, et al. BSACI guidelines for the management of rhinosinusitis and nasal polyposis. Clinical and Experimental Allergy. 2007;38:260.
- Antunes MB, et al. The role of local steroid injection for nasal polyposis. Current Asthma and Allergy Reports. 2010;10:175.
- Dykewicz MS, et al. Rhinitis and sinusitis. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. 2010;125(Suppl 2):S103.
- Wood AJ, et al. Pathogenesis and treatment of chronic rhinosinusitis. Postgraduate Medical Journal. 2010;86:359.
- Hamilos DL. Medical management of chronic rhinosinusitis. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Nov. 10, 2010.
- Tosun F, et al. Impact of endoscopic sinus surgery on sleep quality in patients with chronic nasal obstruction due to nasal polyposis. The Journal of Craniofacial Surgery. 2009;20:446.
- Citardi MJ. An introduction to nasal endoscopy. American Rhinologic Society. http://www.american-rhinologic.org/patientinfo.introendoscopy.phtml. Accessed Nov. 10, 2010.
- Dutton JM. Endoscopic sinus surgery. American Rhinologic Society. http://www.american-rhinologic.org/patientinfo.sinussurgery.phtml. Accessed Nov. 19, 2010.
- Li JT (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Nov. 23, 2010.
- Rabago D, et al. Nasal irrigation for chronic sinus symptoms in patients with allergic rhinitis, asthma, and nasal polyposis: A hypothesis generating study. Wisconsin Medical Journal. 2008;107:69.
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