Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the relation between the Computed tomography (CT) densities, sizes of otosclerotic foci, and the bone conduction threshold (BC) and air bone gap (ABG) in cases of otosclerosis as well as between the lesions sizes and their CT densities.

MATERIALS and METHODS: We included CT examinations of the temporal bones of 25 patients (34 ears, 9 cases were bilateral) with clinical and audiological diagnosis of otosclerosis. We measured the otosclerotic foci in their maximum dimensions as well as their CT densities and correlated them to the BC thresholds and ABG. We also studied the correlation between the sizes of the otosclerotic foci and their CT densities.

RESULTS: There were no significant statistical correlations between the lesion size or CT density to either the BC or ABG in any of the CT grades of otosclerosis or any statistical correlation between the CT density and lesion size in any of the grades of otosclerosis.

CONCLUSION: CT is essential, in addition to clinical and audiological tests, in confirming the diagnosis of otosclerosis; however, neither the sizes of the lesions nor their CT densities correlate with the hearing deficit. The lesions sizes do not correlate to their CT densities, and there is no statistically significant difference in CT densities of early and extensive grades.