title: Value of Echo-Planar Diffusion-Weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Detecting Tympanomastoid Cholesteatoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of echo-planar diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (EP-DWI) and high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) in the detection and localization of cholesteatoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-four patients were prospectively included in this study. Patients with suspected primary or residual cholesteatoma were evaluated by EP-DWI and HRCT before tympanomastoid surgery. Radiological findings were correlated with intraoperative findings.
  
  
  RESULTS
  EP-DWI and HRCT accurately predicted the presence or absence of cholesteatoma in 49 of 54 (90.7%) and 37 of 54 (68.5%) patients, respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of EP-DWI were 88.4%, 92.8%, 92%, and 89.6%, respectively. However, sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of HRCT were 69%, 67.8%, 66.6%, and 73.07%, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrates that EP-DWI is more reliable in predicting the presence and localization of cholesteatoma compared with HRCT, before tympanomastoid surgery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Katip Çelebi University Atatürk Training and Research Hospital, Izmir, Turkey. epinar66@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Ali Cihan
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Yiğiter
authors.forename: Ercan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pınar
authors.forename: Abdülkadir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: İmre
authors.forename: Nezahat
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Erdoğan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018424:Cholesteatoma, Middle Ear / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D017352:Echo-Planar Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D055815:Young Adult