TEMPORAL BONE CT FINDINGS IN THE CHARGE ASSOCIATION

Ten out of 20 cases with the CHARGE association and two CHARGE-like ca ses underwent temporal bone CT scanning and/or MRI: they all showed bi lateral aplasia of the semicircular canals and obliteration of the ova l windows. Vestibular examination was performed in nine CHARGE cases a nd the two CHARGE-like cases, which disclosed vestibular areflexia in all of them. Of the 16 evaluable CHARGE cases, eight had bilateral mix ed hearing impairment, while eight had sensorineural hearing impairmen t which was bilateral in six and unilateral in two cases. Temporal bon e CT scanning is therefore indicated in suspected CHARGE cases, even i f they show normal hearing or a relatively good bone conduction thresh old in one or both ears. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All ri ghts reserved.