Comparison of computed tomography and pluridirectional tomography of the temporal bone.

During pluridirectional tomography dense bone creates ghost shadows that simulate chronic disease and soft-tissue masses within the middle ear cavity. This effect was demonstrated in three dried skulls. Cholesteatomas were simulated in three more temporal bones with a mixture of 2% iodine in paraffin. Three different high-resolution computed tomographic scanners clearly demonstrated middle ear anatomy and the simulated soft-tissue masses in the skulls.