[High-resolution computed tomography in the diagnosis of bone-destroying processes of the external ear]

Eleven patients with known malignant tumours of the outer ear and three patients with otitis externa maligna were examined by high resolution CT. CT provided accurate information concerning soft tissue infiltration into the parotid or subtemporal tissues, and of the bony destruction in the mastoid, meatus and tympanic cavity. Absolute differentiation between a malignant tumour and otitis cisterna maligna is not possible, not even by high resolution CT.