Correlation of CT and Histopathology in Resorption of the Distal Long Process of the Incus

Excerpt

Complete loss of the distal long process and lenticular process of the incus results in a conductive hearing loss with an increased air bone gap. On computed tomography (CT), there is discontinuity of the ossicular chain between the incus and the stapes [1]. Acquired bone loss and fibrous replacement of the long process of the incus without a radiologic abnormality has been reported in the otolaryngology literature suggesting that fibrous replacement can be radiologically occult [2]. We report the subtle CT findings of a temporal bone specimen donated from a patient with hearing loss attributed to resorption and fibrous replacement of the distal long process of the incus without discontinuity of the incudostapedial relationship. …