Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Virtual otoscopy to check inner ear fluid in dogs with ear infection
By Cho, Youngkwon et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary science·2012·Department of Radiological Technology, South Korea·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Virtual otoscopy for evaluating the inner ear with a fluid-filled tympanic cavity in dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs with ear infections (otitis media) were examined using a new imaging technique called virtual otoscopy (VO) to see if it could help visualize their inner ear better than traditional methods. The study found that while VO images could clearly show the structures of the ear, it didn't provide any significant advantages over regular CT scans for diagnosing the infections. However, VO might be useful for assessing the inner ear's complex structures when there's fluid buildup. Overall, the findings suggest that while VO is promising, it may not yet be the best option for diagnosing ear infections in dogs.
People also search for: dog ear infection treatment · virtual otoscopy for dogs · how to treat otitis media in dogs
Abstract
The feasibility of virtual otoscopy (VO) imaging was evaluated in five dogs with experimentally induced otitis media, two control dogs, and two canine patients with otitis media. VO images of the tympanic cavity and ossicles were generated with commercially available software using raw computed tomography (CT) data. Eight out of 10 ears inoculated with pathogen exhibited obvious clinical signs associated with otitis externa. CT images revealed soft tissue density material occupying the tympanic bulla compatible with otitis media in three dogs with experimentally induced otitis media and two patients. No remarkable features were observed on the radiographs. Four different VO views (ear canal, tympanic bulla, eustachian tube, and ossicular chain) were created. Promontory, cochlea window, tympanic, and septum bulla as well as ossicles were easily and clearly distinguished except for the incus and stapes of the clinical patients. VO images were not more suitable than images created with conventional CT for accurately diagnosing otitis media in this study. However, it appears that VO could be more feasible for assessing the complex structure of the inner ear in dogs with fluid-filled tympanic cavities since fluid accumulation within the tympanic bulla did not affect the evaluation of bony tissue in the middle ear on VO images.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23271184/