title: Diagnostic yield of computed tomography scan for pediatric hearing loss: a systematic review.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Computed tomography (CT) has been used in the assessment of pediatric hearing loss, but concern regarding radiation risk and increased utilization of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have prompted us toward a more quantitative and sophisticated understanding of CT's potential diagnostic yield.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To perform a systematic review to analyze the diagnostic yield of CT for pediatric hearing loss, including subgroup evaluation according to impairment severity and laterality, as well as the specific findings of enlarged vestibular aqueduct and narrow cochlear nerve canal.
  
  
  METHODS
  PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library were assessed from the date of their inception to December 2013. In addition, manual searches of bibliographies were performed and topic experts were contacted.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data from studies describing the use of CT in the diagnostic evaluation of pediatric patients with hearing loss of unknown etiology were evaluated, according to a priori inclusion/exclusion criteria. Two independent evaluators corroborated the extracted data. Heterogeneity was evaluated according to the I(2) statistic.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 50 criteria-meeting studies, the overall diagnostic yield of CT ranged from 7% to 74%, with the strongest and aggregate data demonstrating a point estimate of 30%. This estimate corresponded to a number needed to image of 4 (range, 2-15). The most commonly identified findings were enlarged vestibular aqueduct and cochlear anomalies. The largest studies showed a 4% to 7% yield for narrow cochlear nerve canal.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data, along with similar analyses of radiation risk and risks/benefits of sedated MRI, may be used to help guide the choice of diagnostic imaging.
authors.affiliation: Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: Jenny X
authors.initials: JX
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: Bart
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kachniarz
authors.affiliation: Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA jennifer_shin@meei.harvard.edu.
authors.forename: Jennifer J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Shin
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
keywords: adolescent; child; computed tomography; diagnosis; hearing loss; imaging; infant; pediatric; systematic review