HIGH-RESOLUTION COMPUTED-TOMOGRAPHY OF TH E TEMPORAL BONE IN MANDIBULOFACIAL DYSOSTOSIS

High resolution CT (HR-CT) scanning of the temporal bone was performed in three patients with a fully expressed mandibulofacial dysostosis f or preoperative assessment of temporal bone abnormalities. The externa l auditory canal was absent in five of six ears. Scans revealed a dysp lastic middle ear cleft with dysplastic and partly dislocated ossicles . The ossicles were absent in two temporal bones. In no patient was th e mastoid bone pneumatised. The inner ear was affected in only one pat ient in whom a shortening of the lateral semicircular canal could be f ound bilaterally. The role of HR-CT of the temporal bone as a preopera tive diagnostic tool for the assessment of abnormalities of surgical i mport is discussed.