Anomalous vessel in the middle ear: the role of CT and MR angiography.
An 8-year-old child was examined because of conductive hearing loss with a retrotympanic mass on otoscopy. CT and MR angiography showed a large inferior tympanic artery traversing the hypotympanum and joining a thin, irregular internal carotid artery with a normal middle meningeal artery. These investigations, coupled with knowledge of the embryological development allowed a diagnosis of a complex vascular anomaly in the middle ear and avoided potential surgical complications.
Caldas
J G
JG
Department of Radiology, Hospital Clînicas, Universidade São Paulo, Brazil.
Iffenecker
C
C
Attal
P
P
Lasjaunias
P
P
Doyon
D
D
D002343:Carotid Artery, Internal / Q000002:abnormalities*; D002648:Child; D004432:Ear, Middle / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006315:Hearing Loss, Functional / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography; D013198:Stapedius / Q000098:blood supply; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed