title: Pediatric hearing loss and radiographic pericochlear hypoattenuation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the relationship of sensorineural hearing loss to pericochlear radiographic hypoattenuation in the pediatric population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective case review.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tertiary referral center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Children, younger than 5 years, with both computed tomographic imaging of the temporal bone and audiometric analysis between 2004 and 2008 at the University of Michigan.
  
  
  METHODS
  Diagnostic.
  
  
  METHODS
  The prevalence of pericochlear hypoattenuation in ears with and without hearing loss.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred seventy-six patients (98 male and 78 female patients) were completely reviewed. The prevalence of cochlear hypoattenuation was 39.2% (107/273) in ears with hearing loss, compared with 40.5% (32/79) in ears without hearing loss (p = 0.83). Similarly, the prevalence of hypoattenuation was not different in ears with sensorineural hearing loss (36.8%, 70/190) and those without hearing loss (40.3%, 31/79, p = 0.60). Patients with hypoattenuation (mean, 24 mo) were significantly younger than patients without hypoattenuation (mean, 30 mo). The prevalence of hypoattenuation was higher in the ears of children born prematurely (35/64, 54.7%) compared with the ears of children born at full term (90/230, 39.1%, p = 0.026; 95% confidence interval, 1.88%-29.3%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There does not seem to be a relationship between sensorineural hearing loss and the presence of decreased density of the bony cochlea in the pediatric population. The density of pericochlear bone increases with age. Prematurity is associated with a higher risk of hypoattenuation. This radiographic finding is common and may represent a normal developmental process.
authors: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Division of Pediatric Otolaryngology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
authors: Andrew
authors: A
authors: Kroeker
authors: Marc
authors: M
authors: Nelson
authors: Marc
authors: M
authors: Thorne
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D003051:Cochlea / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D011859:Radiography; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013701:Temporal Bone / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*