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Internal Auditory Canal Diverticula among Pediatric Patients: Prevalence and Assessment for Hearing Loss and Anatomic

P M Bunch1, M E Zapadka2, C M Lack2

  • 1From the Departments of Radiology (P.M.B., M.E.Z., C.M.L., J.R.S.) paul.m.bunch@gmail.com.

AJNR. American Journal of Neuroradiology
|August 9, 2020
PubMed

Insights

Internal auditory canal diverticula are common in pediatric CT scans. These findings, often bilateral, are usually a normal variation and not linked to hearing loss.

Area of Science:

  • Radiology
  • Pediatric Imaging
  • Otolaryngology

Background:

  • Internal auditory canal diverticula present as focal lucencies at the internal auditory canal fundus.
  • Conflicting data exists regarding the etiology and clinical relevance of these findings in adults.
  • Pediatric studies are crucial for understanding the significance of internal auditory canal diverticula.

Purpose of the Study:

  • Determine the prevalence of internal auditory canal diverticula in pediatric temporal bone CT scans.
  • Assess potential associations with hearing loss.
  • Evaluate relationships with specific anatomical variations.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of 283 pediatric temporal bone CT scans.
  • Independent assessment for diverticula by four neuroradiologists, with consensus for discrepancies.
  • Evaluation for enlarged vestibular aqueduct, labyrinthine dysplasia, cochlear cleft, and otospongiosis.

Main Results:

  • Internal auditory canal diverticula were identified in 14.8% of pediatric patients (42/283), frequently bilateral.
  • No significant associations were found with age, sex, hearing loss, enlarged vestibular aqueduct, labyrinthine dysplasia, or cochlear cleft.
  • A statistically significant association was noted with otospongiosis (P = .013), although this was rare in the study cohort.

Conclusions:

  • Internal auditory canal diverticula are a frequent finding on pediatric temporal bone CT.
  • In the absence of otospongiosis, diverticula are likely a normal anatomical variation.
  • Recognizing isolated diverticula can prevent unnecessary investigations in pediatric patients.
Abstract

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