[A CT cytomorphodensitometric study of the proliferating epithelial activity in middle ear cholesteatoma]

A cytomorphodensitometric study was made by analysis of the computerised image of the germinative and intermediate epithelial layers in a sample of five specimens of cholesteatoma and the corresponding skin from the external auditory canal. A morphometric variable corresponding to the nuclear area was determined and densitometric variables equivalent to the relative quantity of nuclear DNA were determined. Within the germinative layers of the cholesteatoma epithelium, we observed larger nuclei and more relative DNA per nucleus. The average densitometric values were in the range of 2C-4C, which is indicative of a greater cellular population in S phase in the cholesteatoma than in the skin.