Journal of the Chinese Medical Association
Volume 72, Issue 10 , Pages 527-532, October 2009

High-resolution Computed Tomography in the Diagnosis of Otosclerosis in Taiwan

  • Tsung-Lun Lee

      Affiliations

    • Department of Otolaryngology and Radiology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.
    • National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.
    • ,
  • Mao-Che Wang

      Affiliations

    • Department of Otolaryngology and Radiology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.
    • National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.
    • ,
  • Jiing-Feng Lirng

      Affiliations

    • Department of Radiology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.
    • National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.
    • ,
  • Wen-Huei Liao

      Affiliations

    • Department of Otolaryngology and Radiology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.
    • National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.
    • ,
  • Eric Chen-Hua Yu

      Affiliations

    • Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, Stanford University, U.S.A.
    • ,
  • An-Suey Shiao

      Affiliations

    • Department of Otolaryngology and Radiology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.
    • National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorrespondence to: Dr An-Suey Shiao, Department of Otolaryngology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, 201, Section 2, Shih-Pai Road, Taipei 112, Taiwan, R.O.C.

Received 29 April 2009; accepted 14 July 2009.

Article Outline

Background

Otosclerosis is rare in Asians, and the clinical role of imaging remains controversial. We sought to clarify the tomographic findings of otosclerosis in Taiwanese patients and determine the value and necessity of high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) of the temporal bone in diagnosing the disease in Taiwan.

Methods

This retrospective study enrolled 22 patients (24 ears) with clinically, surgically and pathologically confirmed otosclerosis. All subjects underwent HRCT of the temporal bone; the images were then reviewed at workstations. The control group consisted of 15 patients.

Results

HRCT was positive in 46% of the clinically, surgically and pathologically confirmed otosclerotic ears. Patients with a positive imaging study had a smaller preoperative air–bone gap and a significantly shorter duration of the disease. The duration of the disease also tended to be greater in patients with a larger preoperative air–bone gap.

Conclusion

HRCT has high specificity (100%) but low sensitivity (46%) for the diagnosis of otosclerosis in Taiwanese patients despite progress in radiology. The low image positive rate we found, compared with that in Western literature, may stem from a greater percentage of inactive otosclerosis. [J Chin Med Assoc 2009;72(10):527–532]

Key Words:  otosclerosis , radiology information systems , X-ray computed tomography

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PII: S1726-4901(09)70422-8

doi:10.1016/S1726-4901(09)70422-8

Journal of the Chinese Medical Association
Volume 72, Issue 10 , Pages 527-532, October 2009

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