[Spiral CT of the head-neck area: the advantages of the early arterial phase in the detection of squamous-cell carcinomas]. / Spiral-CT der Kopf-Hals-Region: Vorteile der arteriellen Frühphase bei der Detektion von Plattenepithelkarzinomen.

PURPOSE: To determine if scanning in the arterial phase improves detection of squamous cell carcinomas in the pharynx and larynx. METHODS: In a prospective clinical study 20 patients with a pharyngeal or laryngeal carcinoma were examined with by spiral CT. 80 ml lopromid were intravenously injected as a bolus with a rate of 3 ml/sec. Two consecutive spiral CT scans were performed with start-delay times of 20 and 70 seconds respectively. Delineation and contrast enhancement of tumours, cervical lymph nodes and vessels were evaluated. The radiodensities (HU) of tumors, lymph nodes vessels, pharyngeal wall and muscle were measured. RESULTS: Comparing early and late start delay time scans tumor assessment in the early phase was better in 58%, less in 16% and equal in both scans in 26%. 82% of the pathologic lymph nodes had more peripheral enhancement than surrounding muscle tissue. During the arterial phase the measured radiodensities of the common carotid artery and jugular vein were significantly higher than in the second phase. CONCLUSION: Contrast-enhanced special CT permits accurate morphologic assessment (size, infiltration) of pharyngeal and supraglottic laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma, while pathologic lymph nodes already have a sufficient contrast enhancement for the detection.

[Otosclerosis--diagnosis and therapy]. / Otosklerose--Diagnose und Therapie.

Otosclerosis (synonym: otospongiosis) is a focal or diffuse spongifying disease of the bony labyrinth. So far pathogenesis is unknown, some recent investigations assume a paramyxovirus infection. But there are no doubts about hereditary and genetic factors, females are twice often affected as males with a maximum incidence between 20 and 40 years. If the disease invades the oval window niche it causes fixation of the stapes with conducting hearing loss. In some cases otospongiosis is associated with and presumably causes cochlear degeneration alone with sensoneurale hearing impairment of varying degree. The surgical technique is now well developed and the operative treatment enables in over 90% a closure of the air-bone gap by using stapes pistons. The medical therapy in cases of sensoneural hearing loss with sodium fluoride is still controversially discussed.