title: When is fluid in the mastoid cells a worrisome finding?
abstract: Mastoiditis is a common clinical entity that is technically present in all cases of otitis media; only a minority of cases actually represents the otolaryngologic emergency of acute coalescent mastoiditis. When reviewing an image with a radiologic diagnosis of mastoiditis, looking for key signs such as destruction of bony septa and considering patient presentation can help distinguish mild mastoiditis from acute coalescent mastoiditis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison. WI 53706, USA. michaelmcdonald@gmail.com
authors.forename: Michael H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: McDonald
authors.forename: Matthew R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Hoffman
authors.forename: Lindell R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Gentry
mesh_terms: D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008416:Mastoid / Q000166:cytology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008417:Mastoiditis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D010034:Otitis Media with Effusion / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed