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Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Cholesteatoma

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Encyclopedia of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery

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Synonyms

Keratoma; Pearl tumor

Definition

A cholesteatoma is a cyst lined by squamous epithelium within the middle ear cavity. The term “cholesteatoma” is an unfortunate one, because the entity bears no relation to cholesterol granulomas or to a neoplasm. Essentially, it is a well-demarcated nonneoplastic lesion in the temporal bone, commonly described as “skin in the wrong place” (Barath et al. 2011).

Etiology

Multiples theories exist concerning the etiology of both congenital and acquired cholesteatomas. It is still unclear as to what exactly the etiology is. The most plausible explanation for the development of a congenital cholesteatoma is the postpartum persistence of a fetal epithelial thickening medial to the malleolus neck. Normally, the lesion involutes during development. However, lack of involution can be the precursor of a congenital cholesteatoma for reasons unknown at this time (Barath et al. 2011).

An acquired cholesteatoma may develop by various etiopathogenic...

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References

  • Barath K et al (2011) Review article: neuroradiology of cholesteatomas. Am J Neuroradiol 32:221–229

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Harnsberger HR, Glastonbury CM, Michel MA, Koch BL et al (2010) Diagnostic imaging: head and neck, 2nd edn. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Philadelphia, pp 28–37 VI(3)

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  • Scwartz KM et al (2011) Review article: the utility of diffusion-weighted imaging for cholesteatoma evaluation. Am J Neuroradiol 32:430–436

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology & Otolaryngology, University of Cincinnati, 234 Goodman Street, Cincinnati, OH, 45267-0762, USA

    Dr. Anil Bhavsar M.D. & Dr. Rebecca Cornelius M.D.

Authors
  1. Dr. Anil Bhavsar M.D.
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  2. Dr. Rebecca Cornelius M.D.
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Anil Bhavsar M.D. .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, GA, USA

    Stilianos E. Kountakis

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© 2013 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Bhavsar, A., Cornelius, R. (2013). Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Cholesteatoma. In: Kountakis, S.E. (eds) Encyclopedia of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-23499-6_888

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-23499-6_888

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-23498-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-23499-6

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