Spiral CT of the temporal bone in unsedated pediatric patients.

PURPOSE To determine the feasibility of performing rapid, high-resolution, low-radiation-dose spiral CT scans of the temporal bone in unsedated pediatric patients.

METHODS Axial spiral CT examinations with an effective section thickness of 1.25 mm were performed in 41 infants and children. Multiplanar reconstructions were generated using 360 degrees and 180 degrees linear interpolation algorithms. Three-dimensional reconstructions of the middle ear were also performed.

RESULTS Complete axial spiral scans were performed without sedation in all patients. Three hundred sixty-degree linear interpolation images had comparable resolution to conventional CT; 180 degrees linear interpolation images with an effective section thickness of 1.0 mm at 0.2-mm intervals showed good detail of middle and inner ear anatomy, and multiplanar reconstructions from this algorithm were comparable to direct scans. Three-dimensional reconstructions clearly displayed the oval window, malleus, and incus.

CONCLUSION Spiral CT is a clinically feasible method for rapidly evaluating the temporal bone in pediatric patients, eliminating the need for sedation. The images obtained from this technique are comparable to conventional CT. High-quality multiplanar reconstructions can be generated from the spiral data set, providing an alternative to direct scans in multiple planes. Additionally, three-dimensional images of internal temporal bone anatomy can be generated from the spiral data.