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Middle nasal concha

The middle nasal concha (or middle turbinate) is a thin, curved bony plate extending from the lateral wall of the nasal cavity, forming part of the ethmoid bone. It lies inferior to the superior nasal concha and superior to the inferior concha, contributing to the lateral nasal wall and the middle meatus, which is a key passage for drainage of the frontal, maxillary, and anterior ethmoidal sinuses. The middle concha is covered by respiratory mucosa, which supports air humidification, filtration, and olfactory function. Its size, curvature, and pneumatization (concha bullosa) vary among individuals and are important for nasal airflow dynamics, sinus drainage, and endoscopic sinus surgery planning.

Synonyms

  • Middle turbinate

  • Middle nasal turbinate

  • Ethmoid concha media

Function

  • Regulates airflow and humidification in the nasal cavity

  • Guides mucus drainage from the frontal, maxillary, and anterior ethmoid sinuses into the middle meatus

  • Supports olfactory epithelium in part of its superior surface

  • Provides structural stability to the lateral nasal wall

  • Acts as a landmark for endoscopic sinus and nasal surgery

MRI Appearance

T1-weighted images:

  • The middle nasal concha appears as a hypointense bony structure with surrounding mucosa and soft tissue showing intermediate signal

  • Air within the nasal cavity appears as a signal void (black), sharply delineating the concha

  • Variants such as concha bullosa may show a hyperintense central cavity if filled with air, fluid, or mucus

T2-weighted images:

  • Air remains a signal void

  • Surrounding mucosa and soft tissue have intermediate to slightly hyperintense signal

  • Fluid or mucosal edema appears bright hyperintense, highlighting sinus drainage pathways or inflammatory changes

STIR (Short Tau Inversion Recovery):

  • Suppresses fat signal, making edema, mucosal thickening, or tumors appear bright hyperintense

  • Normal middle concha bone remains hypointense, providing contrast against surrounding pathology

CT Appearance

  • The middle nasal concha is a thin, well-corticated bony structure extending from the lateral nasal wall

  • Air in the middle meatus and nasal cavity appears hypodense (black), providing contrast with the bony concha

  • Soft tissue or mucosal thickening appears intermediate density, highlighting inflammation, polyps, or concha bullosa

  • CT clearly demonstrates pneumatization, septal deviation, or anatomic variations, important for surgical planning

  • Axial, coronal, and sagittal planes provide detailed views of the middle meatus, sinus ostia, and ethmoid labyrinth

MRI images

Middle nasal concha mri axial image -img-00000-00000

CT image

CT Middle nasal concha