The Diagnostic Value of Traditional Nasal Examination Tools in an Endoscopic Era

Abstract

The traditional nasal examination tools exhibited excellent specificity. However, the sensitivity was only average, meaning that they may not be suitable for screening. We do not recommend routine use of topical anesthesia and decongestants when applying these tools, as the application of these agents did not improve the clinical sensitivity or specificity. The posterior rhinoscopy mirror had a lowest sensitivity. We thus do not recommend using a posterior rhinoscopy mirror to rule out pathologies of the posterior nasal cavity.