Do Enlarged Lower Turbinates Always Show Up on a CT Scan?

No not always, CT scans are static cuts and if the angle of the cut is not perfect it may not show the area of the obstruction well.

Depending on the views obtained, the turbinates do indeed show up on CT scan. However, recommendations to cauterize, infracture, or perform partial inferior turbinectomies or turbinoplasties are based on airway assessment, not JUST CT scan. Reading a CT scan is something radiologists do as their specialty, but their focus (and report) may be based on identifying fracture, tumor, or other abnormality, and may not specifically address airway, which involves subjective as well as objective... more