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Published on: July 5, 2021
Does Diffusion-Weighted MR Imaging Change the Follow-Up Strategy in Cases with Residual Cholesteatoma?
Yusuf Dündar1, Fatih Alper Akcan, Alper Dilli
1Department of Otolaryngology, Ministry of Health, Rize Çayeli State Hospital, Rize, Turkey. ysfdndr@gmail.com.
Objective:
To analyze the effectiveness of diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DW-MRI) in the evaluation of recurrent cholesteatomas.
Materials And Methods:
Twenty-three patients undergoing second-look surgery were included in our study. There were 14 men and 9 women with ages ranging from 10 to 50. All patients underwent DW-MRI prior to second-look surgery. All magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations were performed with a 1.5-T MRI unit using a standard 8-channel neurovascular coil. DW-MRI and apparent diffusion coefficient maps were included in the examination. Cholesteatoma was diagnosed on the DW-MRI as a marked hyperintense signal in comparison with brain tissue. All cases were classified as positive or negative.
Results:
The sensitivity and specificity of DW-MRI were 86% and 87%, respectively. The positive predictive value of DW-MRI was 92%, while the negative predictive value was 77%.
Conclusion:
The DW-MRI technique is an important and effective technique in the evaluation of residual cholesteatoma. It can be an alternative method to second-look surgery, which can spare patients repeat operations.
