High Resolution CT Diagnosis of Congenital Deformities of Auditory Ossicles

Objective:To study the features of the congenital deformities of auditory ossicles on high resolution CT(HRCT)so as to judge the possibility of reconstructing hearing by surgical operation and find out the correct operative plan.Materials and methods:Thirty-five cases with congenital deformities of external and middle ear were diagnosed clinically,including 24 cases in male and 11 in femaled,age ranged 1-50 years with the average of 13 years,were scanned by HRCT.Forty-four ears with deformities of auditory ossicles found in these cases and were analysed and classified in terms of their manifestations.In this series,5 cases merely had axial scans and 30 cases had both axial and coronal scans.Results:HRCT appearances of this series with auditory ossicle abnormalities were as follows:1 whole ossicular absence in 8 ears (absence of both malleus and incus in 6 ears and only malleus in 2 ears);2 ossicular hypoplasia in 36 ears(of malleus in 34 ears,incus in 35 ears and stapes in 22 ears);3 abnormal ossicular articulation in 26 ears(fused malleoincudal articulation in 16 ears and incudostapedial joint in 5 ears;increased angles beween incus and stapes in 5 ears);4 abnormal situated malleoincudal mass in 27 ears(lateral situation in 25 ears and anterior situation in 2 ears;fused to the wall of the tympanic cavity and bony atretic plate in 20 ears);5 calcification or ossification of ossicular ligments in 5 ears.Conclusions:By means of the superiority on demonstrating patterns and extent of the congenital ossicular deformities,HRCT was very valuable clinically on making accurate diagnosis and correct decision of surgical plan.