Imaging of the Temporal Bone

As the structure of the ear is made of little more than cartilage, a limited blood supply, and a thin layer of skin, trauma in this area can easily manifest from a variety of causes. Some common examples of trauma involve laceration, piercing (intentional or otherwise), infection causing chondritis, blunt trauma causing necrosis, rupture of the tympanic membrane, perforation of the ear drum, and acoustic trauma that may result in hearing disorders such as tinnitus and high-frequency hearing loss. Acute hearing loss shows in two forms: conductive hearing loss and sensorineural hearing loss, the latter of which is caused by damage to the anatomic or neurologic structures of the ear dedicated to hearing. Sensorineural hearing loss generally has a poor prognosis and mandates prompt referral to an otolaryngologist.  This review contains 4 figures, 13 tables, and 32 references. Keywords: Ear, auricular canal, trauma, otitis media, otitis externa, hearing loss, mastoiditis, cerumen, impaction