Objective: To determine if radiologic chronic otitis media (COM), both with and without cholesteatoma, is associated with superior semicircular canal dehiscence (SSCD).
Study design: Retrospective review of consecutive high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) scans of the temporal bone.
Setting: Tertiary care medical center.
Patients: Two hundred consecutive patients undergoing HRCT of the temporal bone beginning January 1, 2012.
Intervention: Imaging was evaluated by 3 reviewers (2 neuroradiologists and 1 neurotologist). All scans were assessed for the presence of SSCD, cholesteatoma, chronic otomastoiditis, tegmen dehiscence, and for abnormalities of the cochlea, vestibule, facial nerve, and temporal bone vasculature.
Main outcome measure: Ears with COM associated with chronic otomastoiditis or cholesteatoma were compared with those without COM with respect to the presence of SSCD or other temporal bone abnormalities. Statistical analysis was performed to assess for differences between the groups studied.
Results: One-hundred ninety-four patients (388 ears) were included. Cholesteatoma was identified in 48 ears (12.4%) and chronic otomastoiditis in 62 ears (16%). Ten ears with cholesteatoma had ipsilateral SSCD, and 8 ears with chronic otomastoiditis had ipsilateral SSCD. In 340 ears without either cholesteatoma or chronic otomastoiditis, SSCD was found in 18 (5.3%). SSCD was found to occur significantly more often in patients with ipsilateral radiologic cholesteatoma. No cases of SSCD were associated with cochlear, facial nerve, or vascular abnormalities.
Conclusion: Our findings suggest that COM with cholesteatoma is associated with the presence of SSCD, although the nature of this association is unclear.