Evaluation On The Virtual CT Endoscopy For The Diagnosis Of Ossicular Chain Lesions Accompanied With Congenital Aural Deformity

Objective:To investigate the value of virtual CT endoscopy for the diagnosis of ossicular chain lesions accompanied with congenital aural deformity.Methods:Thirty cases (43 ears) with congenital aural deformity were undergone high resolution CT scanning to collect the original image data from the focus in middle ear, followed by 3-dimensional reconstruction to process these images for evaluating the possibly presented lesions with the ossicular chain. Then, a comparative analysis was made on the virtual CT endoscopy findings in a correlative consideration with that actually found during the operation on the ossicular chain lesions.Results:30 ears were aural atresia which contained malleus hypoplasia in 18 ears, incus hypoplasia in 13 ears, malleus and incus absence in 3 ears, stapes abnormity in 13 ears, stapes absence in 4 ears, fusion of malleoincudal joint in 20 ears, fusion of incudostapedial joint in 7 ears and incudostapedial joint connected with soft tissue in 2 ears.13ears were simple ossicular deformity which contained caput mallei and incus embedded in upper inner wall of atticus in 2 ears, caput mallei connected with upper paries tympanica in 3 ears,distal end of handle of malleus connected with tpympanic ring in 1 ear, crus longum incudis hypoplasia in 4 ears, stapes aberrance in 1 ear,structure suprastapedialis absence in 3 ears,vestibular window atresia in 1 ear, structure suprastapedialis abnormity in 2ears.Thirty-one ears were treated by surgeries, the coincidence between Virtual CT endoscopy and the ossicular chain abnormity of operating view were 98.67% in cases with congenital ear deformity.Conclusion:Virtual CT endoscopy can clearly display the figure of ossicular chain and its spatial relationship with other structures in the middle ear and provide more detailed information to improve the preoperative diagnostic levels for ossicular chain lesions and to prepare a more practical strategy for surgical treatment on congenital aural deformity.