Abstract

INTRODUCTION

The detection rate of moderate inner ear malformations in patients with sensori neural hearing loss (SNHL), can be increased with detailed measurement techniques of high definition temporal bone computed tomography (TBCT), in addition to visual evaluation.

METHODS

Fourtyeight patients who had TBCT between 2008-2010 were included in our study. Twenty-four of these had otological problems without SNHL while the others had congenital SNHL. Axial images were taken with 1,2mm slice thickness with four sequential multidetector CT. Reconstructed coronal images were obtained with 0,6mm slice thickness. The quantitative measurements and visual evaluation of inner ear structures were made and compared between the groups with and without SNHL.

RESULTS

Anomalies were detected in 7 patients with only visual evaluating of the TBCT of SNHL patients. Whereas 15 of 24 patients showed inner ear abnormalities with measurement correlations. These anomalies were; three cochlear hypoplasia, three cochlear hyperplasia, five Lateral Semi-circular Channel hyperplasia, one Superior Semi-circular Channel displasia, one Posterior Semi-circular Channel displasia, five vestibuler hypoplasia, two vestibuler hyperplasia, five narrow internal acustic channel in 15 patients. Quantitative evaluation detected more anomalies in eight patients when compared to visuel inspection.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

Quantitative measuremet techniques when added to visual evaluation of TBCT in patients with SNHL increased the detection rate of anomalies.