Assessment of middle ear disease in the dog: a comparison of diagnostic imaging modalities.
OBJECTIVE
To compare radiography and ultrasound for the assessment of the tympanic bulla against computed tomography results.


METHODS
Thirty-one dogs had dorsoventral, left and right lateral oblique and rostrocaudal open mouth radiographs compared with ultrasound images and computed tomography scans of the tympanic bullae.


RESULTS
Radiography was superior to ultrasonography for the evaluation of the middle ear. However, computed tomography assessment was best predicted by a combination of radiographic and ultrasonographic findings.


CONCLUSIONS
A combination of radiography and ultrasound can provide a more accurate assessment of the bulla than either of them alone. Ultrasound may have a role in the evaluation of middle ear disease in the dog. Results are operator dependent and not reproducible with current recording techniques.
Doust
R
R
Division of Companion Animal Studies, University of Glasgow, Bearsden Road, Bearsden, Glasgow G61 1QH, UK.
King
A
A
Hammond
G
G
Cave
T
T
Weinrauch
S
S
Mellor
D
D
Sullivan
M
M
D000818:Animals; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D004285:Dogs; D004427:Ear Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000662:veterinary*; D004432:Ear, Middle / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary; D014463:Ultrasonography