DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2015.v03i04.033

Pages: 1765-1768

High resolution CT (HRCT) has an important role in investigating Chronic Suppurative Otitis Media Active Squamosal disease (CSOM Unsafe ear) associated with bone erosions, but its ability for assessing erosions of each structure varies. The objective if this study was to compare the preoperative HRCT findings with peroperative findings in CSOM unsafe ear. In this descriptive diagnostic study, the HRCT findings of 45 patients who attended the Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Government Medical College, Thrissur, Kerala were compared with their peroperative findings and the data was statistically analyzed. In the present study, the sensitivity for the detection of cholesteatoma with the help of HRCT was 80 %. But it could not differentiate cholesteatoma from other soft tissue densities in 18% of the patients. HRCT showed a sensitivity and specificity of 83.8% and 100 % for detecting ossicular erosion. The sensitivity and specificity observed for detecting erosions of lateral semicircular canal, tegmen tympani, facial canal erosion were 50 % and 100 %, 75% and 100% and 60% and 100% respectively. Statistical analysis of the various observations on HRCT and preoperative findings showed significant agreement between both. HRCT is an important armamentarium for the Otorhinolaryngologist for the diagnosis and management of cholesteatoma. With its high sensitivity and extreme specificity, HRCT can pinpoint the damage to the middle ear structures with extreme precision and high accuracy. It also helps to prevent peroperative complications. HRCT remains the gold standard investigation for handling CSOM unsafe ear.