A patient with Eagle syndrome: radiological and scintigraphic evaluation
Sisman Yildiray1, Gokce Cumali, Ciftci Ismail
1Department of Oral Diagnosis and Radiology, Faculty of Dentistry, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey.
Summary
This case study highlights bilateral styloid process elongation (SPE) in a patient diagnosed with Eagle syndrome. Bone scintigraphy was used to investigate SPE, offering new insights into this condition.
Area of Science:
- Radiology
- Nuclear Medicine
- Otolaryngology
Background:
- Eagle syndrome is a rare condition characterized by elongated styloid processes, causing facial and neck pain.
- Traumatic head injuries can potentially contribute to the development of styloid process elongation.
Observation:
- A 42-year-old male presented with chronic otalgia and facial/neck pain, with a history of two head traumas.
- Panoramic radiography revealed bilateral styloid process elongation (SPE), leading to an Eagle syndrome diagnosis.
- Multislice computed tomography (MSCT) confirmed elongated styloid processes (78 mm right, 74 mm left).
Findings:
- Bone scintigraphy of the cranium showed normal radiotracer uptake in cranial bones.
- Subtle radiotracer activity was detected corresponding to the location of the elongated styloid processes on planar and SPECT imaging.
- This represents the first documented use of bone scintigraphy to investigate SPE in a patient with Eagle syndrome.
Implications:
- Bone scintigraphy may serve as a valuable diagnostic tool for evaluating styloid process elongation in Eagle syndrome.
- Understanding the imaging characteristics of SPE through bone scintigraphy can aid in diagnosis and management.
- Further research is warranted to explore the utility and sensitivity of bone scintigraphy in a larger cohort of Eagle syndrome patients.
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