Titanium Implant Obscuring Residual Cholesteatoma on Magnetic Resonance Imaging: A Case Report

Cholesteatomas are benign growths of squamous epithelial tissue in the middle ear resulting in conductive hearing loss and/or erosion of the structures of the middle ear space. These lesions are surgically removed but require postoperative surveillance due to risk of recurrence or residual disease. Second-look surgery remains the gold standard for diagnosis and treatment of residual or recurrent cholesteatoma; however, advanced imaging modalities such as non-echoplanar diffusion weighted magnetic resonance imaging (non-EPI DWI-MRI) offer a less invasive alternative for surveillance. As surgeons become more reliant on advanced imaging, it is important to understand the limitations of the technology. We present a case of a delay in diagnosis of residual cholesteatoma due to a false-negative finding on non-EPI DWI-MRI screening in the presence of a titanium implant.