Objective To discuss the value of enlargement of geniculate fossa of facial nerve canal in the diagnosis of facial nerve canal fracture.Methods Thirty patients with facial nerve canal fracture underwent axial and coronal CT scan.The correlation between the fracture and the enlargement of geniculate fossa of facial nerve canal was analyzed.The ability of showing the fracture and enlargement of geniculate fossa of facial nerve canal in axial and coronal imaging were compared.Results Fracture of geniculate fossa of facial nerve canal was found in the operation in 30 patients,while the fracture was detected in CT in 18 patients.Enlargement of geniculate ganglion of facial nerve was detected in 30 patients in the operation,while the enlargement of fossa was found in CT in 28 cases.Enlargement and fracture of geniculate fossa of facial nerve canal were both detected in CT images in 18 patients.Only the enlargement of geniculate fossa of facial nerve canal was shown in 12 patients in CT.Conclusion Enlargement of geniculate fossa of facial nerve canal was a useful finding in the diagnosis of fracture of geniculate fossa in patients with facial paralysis,even no fracture line was shown on CT images.

Objective To evaluate the digital tomosynthesis in the diagnosis of occult bone fracture. Methods Both DR and DTS were performed in 135 cases with traumatic-induced pain. All the cases were suspected of bone fractures but with no abnormal findings in DR images. Two radiologists reviewed all the images and diagnosed in consensus. All cases were followed up and the imaging diagnoses were reviewed. Results Bone fractures or joint dislocations of 61 cases were shown in DTS images but not in DR images, including atlanto-axial fracture and subluxation in 7 cases, articular fracture of limbs in 20 cases, bone fractures of wrist, hand and foot in 11 cases, fractures of cervical, thoracic and lumbar vertebra in 7 cases, fracture of sacrococcyx in 8 cases, fracture of nasal bone in 4 cases, fractures of Sternum ,rib ,orbit and mandible in 1 case. Thirty-four cases with bone fractures were determined by using DTS in suspected cases and 17 cases were denied. Both DR and DTS images showed normal findings in 23 cases. Imaging diagnoses of all cases were consistent with the results of follow up. Conclusion DTS can depict bone fractures especially in the deep and complex bony structures, which may improve the diagnostic accuracy of bone fracture.

Objective To explore the imaging characteristics of SAPHO syndrome in 11 cases.Methods Clinical features and imaging findings from 11 patients (6 male,5 female, 28 to 68 years old)with SAPHO syndrome were analyzed retrospectively Including DR in 9 cases, CT in 10 cases, MRI and radioisotope scanning in 3 cases. Results Multi-bones of anterior chest wall disorders were shown in 9cases on DR images including superior sternum , anterior first rib and clavicle hyperostosis. Bony fusion and bony bridge were also seen in these cases. Hyperostosis osteosclerosis, bone destruction and bony fusion of sternoclavicular articulation and first rib were shown on CT images in 9 cases. Osteosclerosis of the joint between manubrium and midsternum was seen in 1 case on CT image. Thc sign of flying sea gull was seen in 2 cases on axial anterior chest wall CT images. The disorders of anterior chest wall were bilateral in 8 cases and unilateral in 2 cases. Sacroiliitis and osteomyelitis of ilium were found accompanied in 1 case.Osteomyelitis of thoracic vertebrae were found in 2 cases, while sclerosing osteitis of lumbar vertebrae and ostearthritis of bilateral hands were observed respectively in 1 case. The thicken soft tissue surround clavicle head, thoracic vertebra disease with long T1 ,jumbly T2 and high fat suppression signal ,long T1 and short T2signal under sacroiliac joint were shown on MRI. Radioisotope scanning displayed higher radioactive uptake of radionuclides, with T shape in sternoclavicular area in 3 cases. Conclusions Multi-bones of anterior chest wall involvement was the common imaging characteristics in 11 patients. Sacroiliitis, osteomyelitis of vertebrae and ilium, sclerosing osteitis, ostearthritis of hand could be seen in some cases.

OBJECTIVE: To observe normal and abnormal findings of foramina within internal auditory canal (IAC) fundus with Virtual Endoscopy of multisection helical Computed Tomography. METHOD: CT scanning of temporal bone was undergone in 25 volunteers (50 ears) in the normal group, in 8 cases (13 ears) with foramina hypoplasia within IAC fundus which were shown on CT and MRI images. CT virtual endoscopy (CTVE) findings were observed in the normal and abnormal groups. The lower threshold value was 900-1200 HU, the upper value was 3,071 HU in CTVE definitions. RESULT: The shape and position of foramina within IAC fundus were shown on the CTVE image, 50 foramina within IAC fundus were shown in all normal cases. In abnormal group, 9 ears were shown as IAC fundus disorder and foramina absent, only 1 foramina was shown in 1 ear, 2 foramen in 4 ears, 3 foramen in 2 ears, 4 foramen in 2 ears; Abnormal shape of cochlear nerve foramina was seen in 4 ears. Other malformations were also shown, including IAC malformations in 3 ears and inner ear malformations in 8 ears. CONCLUSION CTVE is useful to show the shape and position of normal foramina and pathological changes in the patients with foramina hypoplasia within IAC fundus.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Case-Control Studies ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Cochlear Nerve ; abnormalities ; diagnostic imaging ; Ear Canal ; abnormalities ; diagnostic imaging ; Ear, Inner ; abnormalities ; diagnostic imaging ; Female ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural ; congenital ; diagnostic imaging ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Tomography, Spiral Computed ; methods ; Young Adult