The Correlation of Normal Adult Mastoid Pneumatization Volume and the History of Otitis Media in Childhood / 听力学及言语疾病杂志

Objective To explore the volume size of mastoid pneumatization in normal adults and the relation‐ship with a history of recurrent otitis media in childhood .Methods A total of in 40 adults (80 ears) ,based on with or without otitis media in childhood ,were divided into the study group (n= 20) and the control group (n=20) . The volume sizes of mastoid pneumatization were measured by temporal bone CT scanning of three-dimensional re‐construction ,and the relationship with the history of childhood ear infections was studied .Results The average vol‐ume of pneumatization in all 80 temporal bones was 10 .4 ± 1 .8 ml .The average volume of pneumatization in sub‐jects without otitis media history (48 ears) and subjects with a history of otitis media (32 ears) were 9 .7 ± 2 .2 ml and 6 .3 ± 1 .7 ml ,respectively .The difference was statistically significant (P0 .05) .Conclusion The volumes of mastoid pneumatization in normal ears have a wide range .The subjects with a history of recurrent otitis media in childhood may be the cause of the volume decrease of mastoid pneumatization in adulthood .

The Relationship between Presbycusis and Mastoid Pneumatization

Presbycusis is defined as the natural hearing loss accompanying aging, caused by degenerative changes in the inner ear. The etiology of presbycusis is uncertain. However, it would appear that a complex genetic cause is most likely. The determinants of mastoid size continue to be controversial. One of the pneumatization theories is the hereditary theory. In this study, the possible relationship between presbycusis and the extent of mastoid pneumatization was investigated. This study was carried out on 21 patients with presbycusis and 21 normal subjects of similar ages. The pneumatized volume was measured by computerized tomography. The temporal bone was scanned at 2 mm thickness intervals. Exposure (kV 130, mA105). The scan plane was parallel to the orbitomeatal line and the CT images covered the entire mastoid region. The average mastoid pneumatization in presbycusis group was 6.08 +/- 2.52 cm3 in the right ear and 6.19 +/- 2.93 cm3 in the left ear. However, in the control group it was 4.69 +/- 3.17 cm3 in the right ear (p=0.12) and 5.10 +/- 3.49 cm3 in the left ear (p=0.28). No significant difference was found between the presbycusis patients and normal subjects in terms of the volume of mastoid pneumatization.