Istituto di Radiologia, Policlinico G.B. Rossi, Università di Verona, P.le L.A. Scuro, 37134, Verona, Italy.
Radiol Med. 2009 Dec;114(8):1308-18. doi: 10.1007/s11547-009-0462-y. Epub 2009 Sep 30.
Bionic ear implants provide a solution for deafness. Patients treated with these hearing devices are often children who require close follow-up with frequent functional and radiological examinations; in particular, multislice computed tomography (MSCT). Dental volumetric cone-beam CT (CBCT) has been reported as a reliable technique for acquiring images of the temporal bone while delivering low radiation doses and containing costs. The aim of this study was to assess, in terms of radiation dose and image quality, the possibility of using CBCT as an alternative to MSCT in patients with bionic ear implants.
One hundred patients (mean age 26 years, range 7-43) with Vibrant SoundBridge implants on the round window underwent follow-up: 85 with CBCT and 15 with MSCT. We measured the average tissue-absorbed doses during both MSCT and CBCT scans. Each scan was focused on the temporal bone with the smallest field of view and a low-dose protocol. In order to estimate image quality, we obtained data about slice thickness, high- and low-contrast resolution, uniformity and noise by using an AAPM CT performance phantom.
Although the CBCT images were qualitatively inferior to those of MSCT, they were sufficiently diagnostic to allow evaluation of the position of the implants. The effective dose of MSCT was almost three times higher than that of CBCT.
Owing to low radiation dose and sufficient image quality, CBCT could be considered an adequate technique for postoperative imaging and follow-up of patients with bionic ear implants.
仿生耳植入物为耳聋患者提供了一种解决方案。接受这些听力设备治疗的患者通常是儿童，需要密切随访，并进行频繁的功能和影像学检查；特别是多层螺旋 CT（MSCT）。牙科容积锥形束 CT（CBCT）已被报道为一种可靠的技术，可以在提供低辐射剂量和包含成本的情况下获取颞骨图像。本研究旨在评估在辐射剂量和图像质量方面，使用 CBCT 替代仿生耳植入物患者的 MSCT 的可能性。
100 名（平均年龄 26 岁，范围 7-43 岁）圆窗振动声桥植入患者接受了随访：85 名接受 CBCT 检查，15 名接受 MSCT 检查。我们测量了 MSCT 和 CBCT 扫描过程中的平均组织吸收剂量。每次扫描都集中在颞骨上，使用最小的视野和低剂量协议。为了评估图像质量，我们使用 AAPM CT 性能体模获得了有关切片厚度、高低对比度分辨率、均匀性和噪声的数据。
尽管 CBCT 图像在质量上不如 MSCT，但足以进行诊断，以允许评估植入物的位置。MSCT 的有效剂量几乎是 CBCT 的三倍。
由于辐射剂量低且图像质量足够，CBCT 可以被认为是一种用于仿生耳植入物患者术后成像和随访的合适技术。
