Abstract:Objective To summarize the direct and indirect imaging signs of patients with spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) rhinorrhea, so as to provide basis for the imaging localization diagnosis of leakage points before CSF rhinorrhea repair.Methods Clinical data of 48 patients suffering from spontaneous CSF rhinorrhea surgically repaired in the Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University from Jan 2017 to March 2021 were analyzed retrospectively. All patients underwent preoperative high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of nasal sinus and skull base. The direct and indirect imaging signs of the leakage point were analyzed before operation, and the location of the leakage point was confirmed intraoperatively.Results All the leak points of the 48 patients were determined by imaging and confirmed by operation. The leak points were located in cribriform plate in 20 cases (41.7%), lateral recess of sphenoid sinus in 16 (33.3%), the ethmoid roof in 8 (16.7%), posterior wall of frontal sinus in 2 (4.2%) and clivus of skull base in 2 (4.2%). The direct and indirect signs of spontaneous CSF rhinorrhea in different regions were significantly different. Indirect signs such as left-right asymmetry, drainage channel edema, sinus mucosal thickening and effusion signs could be used to find the leak point. The diagnostic coincidence rate of the leak according to the direct signs of skull base bone defect in imaging was 66.7%. When the combination of CT and MRI was used to image the leakage points according to the combination of direct and indirect signs, the diagnostic coincidence rate was 100%.Conclusion The indirect imaging signs of patients with spontaneous CSF rhinorrhea are of great value for accurate localization of the leakage point before operation.