title: Enlarged vestibular aqueducts and other inner-ear abnormalities in patients with Down syndrome.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Histopathological anomalies of inner-ear structures in individuals with Down syndrome have been well documented; however, few studies have examined the radiological features.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective study was conducted of temporal bone computed tomography images in 38 individuals (75 ears) with Down syndrome to evaluate the prevalence of inner-ear abnormalities and assess vestibular aqueduct widths.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Inner-ear anomalies were identified in 20 of the 38 individuals (52.6 per cent). Seven of the 75 temporal bones (9.3 per cent) were found to have higher than previously reported. A dilated internal auditory canal and vestibule were more common among the present study group, while prior studies have demonstrated internal auditory canal stenosis and decreased vestibule size.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Down syndrome patients exhibit a high prevalence of dysplastic inner-ear features that confer substantial risk of sensorineural hearing loss. Computed tomography is a useful screening aid to detect inner-ear abnormalities, particularly enlarged vestibular aqueducts, which cause preventable sensorineural hearing loss in this population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery,Division of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery,Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine,Hershey, PA,USA.
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery,Division of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery,Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine,Hershey, PA,USA.
authors.forename: H H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology,Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine,Hershey, PA,USA.
authors.forename: S G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Kanekar
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery,Division of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery,Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine,Hershey, PA,USA.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Isildak
mesh_terms: D000015:Abnormalities, Multiple / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology; D000328:Adult; D004314:Down Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D007758:Ear, Inner / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000151:congenital / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013701:Temporal Bone / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014723:Vestibular Aqueduct / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D055815:Young Adult
keywords:  X-Ray; Computed Tomography; Down Syndrome; Hearing Loss; Inner Ear; Vestibular Aqueduct