Peculiarities of the chemical composition of fungal bodies of the paranasal sinuses
Authors: Shkorbotun Yaroslav V. , Skoryk Mykola A. 
Published: February 2021

Introduction: The significance of fungal microflora in the development of chronic rhinosinusitis tends to increase.
The purpose of the study: We had studied the chemical composition of fungal bodies of odontogenic and nonodontogenic origin to determine the relationship between fungal sinusitis and previous endodontic treatment.
Methods and materials: The 7 samples of the most common dental endodontic materials and 32 fungal ball removed from the paranasal sinuses in patients were examined by electron microscopy and masspectrometry: 22 of them were from the maxillary sinus in persons with a probable odontogenic cause of the disease (group 1), and 10 with the exception of odontogenic factor – 5 from the maxillary sinus - group 2 and 5 - from the sphenoid - group 3).
The resultsand disscusion: In areas with high radiation density of fungal balls, its level in group 1 was 1173.6 ± 257.9 HU, groups 2 and 3 - 283.2 ± 21.8 HU and 262.6 ± 3 HU, and the radiation density from the samples with base it’s level in all groups did not differ among them and was from 50.1 to 55.0 HU.
It was found that in all samples dental materials there was a content of Zn with a mass fraction from 0.71 ± 0.42% to 85.51 ± 0.05%. When analyzing the structure of fragments of fungal balls from areas with a base level of radiation density in patients of all three groups, its homogeneity and absence of crystalline inclusions were noted.
In contrast, in fragments of fungal ball from areas of high radiation density there where a significant number of crystals in individuals with established odontogenic factor (group 1) and their absence in the material of groups 2 and 3. In the composition of samples of fungal balls from areas with high radiation density, it was found that in group №1 in 10 samples (45.45%) showed a significant content of Zinc (average mass fraction - 23.71 ± 4.45%), and Calcium was found in 40.9% of the samples at the level of 3.8 ± 1.33%.
The chemical composition of areas of fungal bodies with high radiation density in individuals with excluded odontogenic factor (group 2 and group 3) was similar and was characterized by the presence of high level of Calcium from areas with increased radiation density of 24.38 ± 6.22%, and 22.04 ± 5,72%, while the background (group 2 - 1.26 ± 0.33%, group 3 –0.90 ± 0.34%). Zinc and other chemical elements - markers of dental materials in groups 2 and 3 were not detected.
Conclusions: All dental materials we examined contain Zn and chemical elements are not characteristic of tissues of biological origin (Ba, Zr, W, Co and Ti), the content of which may cause increased radiological density of the tissue of the fungal ball.
Elevated Zn and Ca content was detected in 45.45% and 40.9% of samples of fungal ball of odontogenic origin, and in almost all samples of fungal ball of neodontogenic origin, regardless of the location of the sinus (maxillary or sphenoidal), Ca was detected, which allows to predict the absorption of these chemicals. elements from the tissues surrounding the fungal body, as the main mechanism of their accumulation in concentrations that cause the formation of areas of high radiation density.