CT APPEARANCES OF OSSICULAR INJURIES

Trauma of the ossicular chain is a frequent complication of temporal b one injury. Skull trauma from blows to the temporal, parietal, or occi pital region (with or without fracture of the temporal bone) is the ma in cause of ossicular injury; other modes of injury are rare. Ossicula r injury usually occurs as a dislocation, of which there are five type s: incudostapedial joint separation, incudomalleolar joint separation, dislocation of the incus, dislocation of the malleoincudal complex, a nd stapediovestibular dislocation. Fracture of the malleus, incus, or stapes is uncommon, High-resolution computed tomography is the method of choice for evaluation of ossicular trauma. Joint separation and fra cture of the stapes are seen on axial images; coronal images may aid v isualization. Both axial and coronal images are needed for evaluation of a dislocated malleus or incus. Fracture of the malleus or incus is detected with axial or coronal images; reformatted images may also be useful.