Otosclerosis (otospongiosis) is a primary focal disease of the labyrinthine capsule. The stapes footplate is fixed when the spongiotic focus expands and invades the oval window. Persons with stapedial otosclerosis experience a progressive conductive hearing loss. In many cases, cochlear degeneration is observed, in which a mixed hearing loss occurs. Using computed tomography (CT), we studied the ears of 45 selected patients with conductive or mixed hearing loss. CT proved valuable in determining otosclerotic changes of the oval window and otic capsule. Spongiotic changes of the otic capsule are better appreciated by CT than complex motion tomography. The usefulness of CT in diagnosing other causes of conductive or mixed hearing loss is also described.

Otosclerosis (otospongiosis) occurs when the hard endochondral bone of the otic capsule is replaced by spongy vascular foci of haversian bone. Using computed tomography (CT), we studied the ears of 32 selected patients with mixed or sensorineural hearing loss (one patient had normal hearing); 24 were suspected of having otosclerosis. CT proved valuable in detecting cochlear otosclerosis, foci of demineralization, and changes in bony texture and enables the easy recognition of subtle radiographic findings. Our paper also reports the CT findings of temporal bones in osteogenesis imperfecta and Paget disease.