Computed tomography for parotid neoplasia: a new look.

Sixty-five mass lesions of parotid origin were evaluated using thin-section high-resolution computed tomography to ascertain histologic specificity. All patients were studied after infusion of intravenous contrast media. Factors judged included the extent of glandular involvement, invasion of adjacent soft tissues, degree of postcontrast computed tomography density (relative to muscle), and the presence of calcification.

Computed tomography of the disarticulated incus.

Complete incus disarticulation may be a complication of trauma, chronic otitis, or prosthetic stapedectomy. Purposeful incus disarticulation (with incus interposition) is used as a method of ossicular reconstruction. CT has been a valuable diagnostic tool for preoperative location of the incus in the former disorders and for determination of the status of the ossiculoplasty in the latter.

Labyrinthine ossification: etiologies and CT findings.

Ossification of the membranous labyrinth (labyrinthitis ossificans) develops as the final result of many inflammatory processes, for example, meningitis, blood-borne septic emboli, middle ear infection, and cholesteatoma. Labyrinthine ossification may also occur as a result of previous labyrinthectomy or secondary to trauma. Seven cases of labyrinthine ossification accompanied by severe vertigo and total hearing loss in the affected ear are discussed. The computed tomographic appearance of varying degrees of ossification, the clinical and surgical circumstances from which this disorder may develop, and the various approaches to labyrinthectomy are described.

Innominate artery compression of the trachea in infants with reflex apnea.

Compression of the trachea by an anomalous innominate artery in association with reflex apnea is a frequent cause of respiratory arrest in infants. Once considered, tracheoscopy is mandatory to rule out this disorder. Surgical correction of this condition by innominate arteriopexy has proven to be a very effective method of management. Seventy-eight patients with tracheal compression by an anomalous innominate artery managed by the authors at The Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago between January 1977 and December 1979 are presented. In this series, 28 patients had a history of one or more episodes of reflex apnea; all of these patients underwent an innominate arteriopexy. A complete review of this syndrome and methods of its diagnosis are scrutinized. We agree with previous authors that reflex apnea is a definite indication for surgical correction of this vascular anomaly causing tracheal compression, but other indications are delineated.