[Computed tomography in the diagnosis of exudative otitis media]

Temporal bone computed tomography (CT) was used to examine 37 patients aged 2 to 55 years who had exudative otitis media; in 27 patients of them, a pathological process was bilateral. An analysis of 58 temporal bone CT scans identified the CT signs of chronic exudative otitis media. These included a partial or complete block of the osseous foramen of the auditory tube; impaired pneumatization of the tympanic cavity, mastoid process fenestrae, and antrum; pathological drawing-in of the tympanic membrane. The preservation of the auditory ossicles and the absence of destructive changes in the walls of the cavities of the middle ear were observed in most cases. Repeated temporal bone CT study was performed in 10 patients (14 temporal bones) in different periods (from 2 months to 3 years) after surgery. The results of tympanostomy were visually assessed. These included recovered pneumatization of middle ear cavities (7 temporal bones), a cicatricial process in the tympanic cavity (5 temporal bones), recurrence of the CT manifestations of exudative otitis media (2 temporal bones).