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Background: Middle ear adenoma (MEA) is a rare primary tumor of the middle ear. Clinical and radiological findings are non-specific and rarely suggestive of this condition. In order to find out the common specific characteristics of MEA and assist in preoperative diagnosis, we conducted this study.
Methods: Three patients with pathologically confirmed MEA were treated in our hospital from January 2018 to February 2022. We collected and analyzed computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data of them, and we fused T1 enhancement sequences of MRI and CT and made a 3-dimensional reconstruction with 3D Slicer. We also compared preoperative images with intraoperative findings.
Results: We found that all MEA lesions of the tympanum were located between the manubrium of the malleus and the ostium tympanicum tubae auditivae. This was different than the common site of the paraganglioma or the cholesteatoma; the results were confirmed in subsequent surgical operations. We also found that the otoscopic appearances of MEA were special.
Conclusion: The results indicate that MEA may mainly occur near the ostium tympanicum tubae auditivae. As the tumor grows, it may invade backward or outward into the external auditory canal. Clinicians can identify MEA early through its spatial location in CT and MRI.
Cite this article as: Mei H, Ren D, Dai C. Application of three-dimensional reconstruction in the pre-operative diagnosis of middle ear adenoma. B-ENT. 2024;20(2):94-99.