High Resolution CT Finding of Ossicular Disruption and Fracture

Soo Mee Lim*, Hye-Young Choi*, Mi-Hye Paeng*, Sung Wan Byun**, Mi Sung Kim***

Copyright ⓒ 2003. Ewha Womans University School of Medicine. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Published Online: Mar 31, 2003

Abstract

Purpose

To evaluate the CT findings of ossicular disruption and fracture utilizing high resolution computed tomography(HRCT) of the temporal bone.

Materials and Methods

The authors retrospectively reviewed the HRCT scans of 11 patients with ossicular injuries between January 1998 and June 2002 using films in 8 patients, PACS in 3 patients. The type of ossicular injuries, temporal bone fracture, and associated adjacent injuries were evaluated.

Results

Among the 11 patients of ossicular injuries, there were 10 cases of incudomalleal disruption, 4 cases of incudostapedial disruption, and 1 case of fracture of malleus, fracture of incus, disruption of long and lenticular process of incus, nonvisualization of processes of incus. The temporal bone fractures were longitudinal in 7 cases, transverse in l case. Other injuries were fracture of the carotid canal, caroticocavemous fistula, fracture of sphenoid and occipital bones.

Conclusion

Incudomalleal disruption was the most frequent tupe of ossicular injuries and associated temporal bone fracture was longitudinal type. HRCT using PACS was useful in evaluation of ossicular injuries than films.

Keywords: Ear, CT; Temporal bone, CT; Ossicle, injuries