Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-g8jcs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-24T06:02:00.006Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Computed tomography features of luetic osteitis (otosyphilis) of the temporal bone

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 January 2014

A Ogungbemi ,
C Dudau ,
S Morley  and
T Beale
A Ogungbemi*
Affiliation:
Department of Radiology, University College Hospitals, London, UK
C Dudau
Affiliation:
Department of Radiology, University College Hospitals, London, UK
S Morley
Affiliation:
Department of Radiology, University College Hospitals, London, UK
T Beale
Affiliation:
Department of Radiology, University College Hospitals, London, UK
*
Address for correspondence: Dr Ayokunle Ogungbemi, 502 Charthouse, 6 Burrells Wharf Square, London E14 3TW, UK E-mail: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Objective:

We report a missed case of otosyphilis presenting as otic capsule lucencies on temporal bone computed tomography.

Methods:

A 58-year-old woman presented with a 15-year history of bilateral, mixed hearing loss together with otic capsule lucencies, subsequently confirmed as otosyphilis. A literature review of otosyphilis was undertaken based on a PubMed search of studies published between 1988 and 2012, using the key words ‘otosyphilis’, ‘otodystrophy’, ‘otic capsule lucencies’ and ‘luetic osteitis’.

Results and conclusion:

Although rare, otosyphilis is important to recognise as it is one of the few treatable causes of deafness when diagnosed early. The differentiating computed tomography features of luetic osteitis (otosyphilis) of the temporal bone have only rarely been described. We emphasise how these imaging features can be used to distinguish the rare but treatable condition of luetic osteitis from other, more common conditions with similar imaging findings.

Keywords

AdultDeafnessHearing LossSyphilis SerodiagnosisSyphilisTherapeuticsTreponemal InfectionsImagingDiagnostic
Type
Clinical Records
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , Volume 128 , Issue 2 , February 2014 , pp. 185 - 188
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 2014 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1d'Archambeau, O, Parizel, PM, Koekelkoren, E, Van De Heyning, P, De Schepper, AM. CT diagnosis and differential diagnosis of otodystrophic lesions of the temporal bone. Eur J Radiol 1990;11:22–30CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
2Swartz, JD. The otodystrophies: diagnosis and differential diagnosis. Semin Ultrasound CT MR 2004;25:305–18CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
3Heimert, TL, Lin, DM, Yousem, DM. Case 48: osteogenesis imperfecta of the temporal bone. Radiology 2002;224:166–70Google Scholar
4Little, JP, Gardner, G, Acker, JD, Land, MA. Otosyphilis in a patient with human immunodeficiency virus: internal auditory canal gumma. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 1995;112:488–92CrossRefGoogle Scholar
5Guttenplan, M, Hendrix, RA. Otosyphilis: a practical guide to diagnosis and treatment. Trans Pa Acad Ophthalmol Otolaryngol 1989;41:834–8Google ScholarPubMed
6Alkadhi, H, Rissman Kollias, SS. Osteogenesis imperfecta of the temporal bone: CT and MR imaging in Van der Hoeve-de Kleyn syndrome. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 2004;25:1106–9Google Scholar
7Fayad, JN, Linthicum, FHJ. Temporal bone histopathology case of the month: otosyphilis. Am J Otol 1999;20:259–60Google ScholarPubMed
8Sonne, JE, Zeifer, B, Linstrom, C. Manifestations of otosyphilis as visualised with computed tomography. Otol Neurotol 2002;23:806–7CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
9Wycherly, BJ, Berkowitz, F, Noone, AM, Kim, HJ. Computed tomography and otosclerosis: a practical method to correlate the sites affected to hearing loss. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol 2012;119:789–94CrossRefGoogle Scholar