Skip to main content
Advertisement

Main menu

  • Home
  • Content
    • Current Issue
    • Publication Preview--Ahead of Print
    • Past Issue Archive
    • Case of the Week Archive
    • Classic Case Archive
    • Case of the Month Archive
  • For Authors
  • About Us
    • About AJNR
    • Editors
    • American Society of Neuroradiology
  • Submit a Manuscript
  • Podcasts
    • Subscribe on iTunes
    • Subscribe on Stitcher
  • More
    • Subscribers
    • Permissions
    • Advertisers
    • Alerts
    • Feedback
  • Other Publications
    • ajnr

User menu

  • Subscribe
  • Alerts
  • Log in

Search

  • Advanced search
American Journal of Neuroradiology
American Journal of Neuroradiology

American Journal of Neuroradiology

  • Subscribe
  • Alerts
  • Log in

Advanced Search

  • Home
  • Content
    • Current Issue
    • Publication Preview--Ahead of Print
    • Past Issue Archive
    • Case of the Week Archive
    • Classic Case Archive
    • Case of the Month Archive
  • For Authors
  • About Us
    • About AJNR
    • Editors
    • American Society of Neuroradiology
  • Submit a Manuscript
  • Podcasts
    • Subscribe on iTunes
    • Subscribe on Stitcher
  • More
    • Subscribers
    • Permissions
    • Advertisers
    • Alerts
    • Feedback
  • Follow AJNR on Twitter
  • Visit AJNR on Facebook
  • Follow AJNR on Instagram
  • Join AJNR on LinkedIn
  • RSS Feeds
Research ArticleHead & Neck

Diagnostic Yield and Therapeutic Impact of Face and Neck Imaging in Patients Referred with Otalgia without Clinically Overt Disease

E. Ainsworth, I. Pai, M. Kathirgamanathan and S.E.J. Connor
American Journal of Neuroradiology November 2020, 41 (11) 2126-2131; DOI: https://doi.org/10.3174/ajnr.A6760
E. Ainsworth
aFrom the Departments of Radiology (E.A., M.K., S.E.J.C.)
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • ORCID record for E. Ainsworth
I. Pai
bOtolaryngology (I.P.), Guy’s and St. Thomas’ Hospital, London, United Kingdom
cSchool of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences Clinical Academic Group (I.P., S.E.J.C.)
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • ORCID record for I. Pai
M. Kathirgamanathan
aFrom the Departments of Radiology (E.A., M.K., S.E.J.C.)
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • ORCID record for M. Kathirgamanathan
S.E.J. Connor
aFrom the Departments of Radiology (E.A., M.K., S.E.J.C.)
cSchool of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences Clinical Academic Group (I.P., S.E.J.C.)
dDepartment of Neuroradiology (S.E.J.C.), King’s College Hospital, London, United Kingdom.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • ORCID record for S.E.J. Connor
  • Article
  • Figures & Data
  • Supplemental
  • Info & Metrics
  • References
  • PDF
Loading

This article requires a subscription to view the full text. If you have a subscription you may use the login form below to view the article. Access to this article can also be purchased.

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Otalgia may be secondary to serious pathology, such as upper aerodigestive tract malignancies, and CT or MR imaging of the skull base, face, and neck is often performed to detect clinically occult lesions. The diagnostic yield, management impact, and therapeutic impact of imaging in this clinical scenario, however, have yet to be elucidated.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: CT and MR imaging in patients who presented with otalgia without clinically overt disease was retrospectively analyzed from a single center over a 9-year period. The cohort was subdivided into groups, depending on the presence of additional symptoms and a history of head and neck cancer. Relevant diagnostic outcome findings were categorized, and the diagnostic yield and impact of imaging on management and therapy were calculated for each group.

RESULTS: In our study cohort of 235 patients, the diagnostic yield of imaging for otalgia, with or without other symptoms, in patients who lacked a history of head and neck cancer was negligible for upper aerodigestive tract malignancy (1%), abnormalities related to otalgia (2%), and other moderate or major findings (2%). Although equivocal or unimportant findings occasionally resulted in additional investigations, the therapeutic impact was also very low (2%). The diagnostic yield for upper aerodigestive tract malignancy (34%) and therapeutic impact increased (34%) when there was a history of head and neck cancer.

CONCLUSIONS: The diagnostic yield and therapeutic impact of imaging for otalgia without clinically overt disease are very low, unless there is a history of head and neck cancer.

ABBREVIATIONS:

FNE
fibreoptic nasendoscopy
UAT
upper aerodigestive tract
  • © 2020 by American Journal of Neuroradiology
View Full Text

Log in using your username and password

Forgot your user name or password?
PreviousNext
Back to top

In this issue

American Journal of Neuroradiology: 41 (11)
American Journal of Neuroradiology
Vol. 41, Issue 11
1 Nov 2020
  • Table of Contents
  • Index by author
  • Complete Issue (PDF)
Advertisement
Print
Download PDF
Email Article

Thank you for your interest in spreading the word on American Journal of Neuroradiology.

NOTE: We only request your email address so that the person you are recommending the page to knows that you wanted them to see it, and that it is not junk mail. We do not capture any email address.

Enter multiple addresses on separate lines or separate them with commas.
Diagnostic Yield and Therapeutic Impact of Face and Neck Imaging in Patients Referred with Otalgia without Clinically Overt Disease
(Your Name) has sent you a message from American Journal of Neuroradiology
(Your Name) thought you would like to see the American Journal of Neuroradiology web site.
CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.
Citation Tools
Diagnostic Yield and Therapeutic Impact of Face and Neck Imaging in Patients Referred with Otalgia without Clinically Overt Disease
E. Ainsworth, I. Pai, M. Kathirgamanathan, S.E.J. Connor
American Journal of Neuroradiology Nov 2020, 41 (11) 2126-2131; DOI: 10.3174/ajnr.A6760

Citation Manager Formats

  • BibTeX
  • Bookends
  • EasyBib
  • EndNote (tagged)
  • EndNote 8 (xml)
  • Medlars
  • Mendeley
  • Papers
  • RefWorks Tagged
  • Ref Manager
  • RIS
  • Zotero
Share
Diagnostic Yield and Therapeutic Impact of Face and Neck Imaging in Patients Referred with Otalgia without Clinically Overt Disease
E. Ainsworth, I. Pai, M. Kathirgamanathan, S.E.J. Connor
American Journal of Neuroradiology Nov 2020, 41 (11) 2126-2131; DOI: 10.3174/ajnr.A6760
del.icio.us logo Digg logo Reddit logo Twitter logo CiteULike logo Facebook logo Google logo Mendeley logo
  • Tweet Widget
  • Facebook Like
  • Google Plus One
Purchase

Jump to section

  • Article
    • Abstract
    • ABBREVIATIONS:
    • MATERIALS AND METHODS
    • RESULTS
    • DISCUSSION
    • CONCLUSIONS
    • Footnotes
    • References
  • Figures & Data
  • Supplemental
  • Info & Metrics
  • References
  • PDF

Related Articles

  • PubMed
  • Google Scholar

Cited By...

  • No citing articles found.
  • Crossref
  • Google Scholar

This article has not yet been cited by articles in journals that are participating in Crossref Cited-by Linking.

More in this TOC Section

  • Skull Base Osteomyelitis: A Comprehensive Imaging Review
  • The Many Faces of Persistent Stapedial Artery: CT Findings and Embryologic Explanations
  • Imaging Parameters of the Ipsilateral Medial Geniculate Body May Predict Prognosis of Patients with Idiopathic Unilateral Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss on the Basis of Diffusion Spectrum Imaging
Show more HEAD & NECK

Similar Articles

Advertisement

News and Updates

  • Lucien Levy Best Research Article Award
  • Thanks to our 2020 Distinguished Reviewers
  • Press Releases

Resources

  • Evidence-Based Medicine Level Guide
  • How to Participate in a Tweet Chat
  • AJNR Podcast Archive
  • Ideas for Publicizing Your Research
  • Librarian Resources
  • Terms and Conditions

Opportunities

  • Share Your Art in Perspectives
  • Get Peer Review Credit from Publons
  • Moderate a Tweet Chat

American Society of Neuroradiology

  • Neurographics
  • ASNR Annual Meeting
  • Fellowship Portal
  • Position Statements

© 2021 by the American Society of Neuroradiology | Print ISSN: 0195-6108 Online ISSN: 1936-959X

Powered by HighWire