RESUMO
INTRODUCTION: Our study's aim is to evaluate the reliability of computed tomography in diagnosis, extension and post-surgical follow-up of otosclerosis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A group of 11 patients was examined during a period of 25 months from 2002 to 2004. All of them had clinically and audiometrically suspected otosclerosis with bilateral conductive hear loss in 7 cases (3 had surgical management), unilateral in 2, and mixed earing loss in 2. High resolution CT was performed once in 8 patients and twice in the 3 operated. RESULTS: CT showed otosclerosis foci in all our study's patients, which was bilateral in 9 and unilateral in 2. The extension of the lesions varied from type IA to type 4B according to the otosclerosis staging. CONCLUSION: Computed tomography is, so far, the most efficient imaging modality in otosclerosis, showing otosclerosis foci when the clinical features are doubtful, allowing an accurate extension of the lesions and detecting complications during post-surgical follow-up.