ENTtoday
  • Home
  • COVID-19
  • Practice Focus
    • Allergy
    • Facial Plastic/Reconstructive
    • Head and Neck
    • Laryngology
    • Otology/Neurotology
    • Pediatric
    • Rhinology
    • Sleep Medicine
  • Departments
    • Issue Archive
    • TRIO Best Practices
      • Allergy
      • Facial Plastic/Reconstructive
      • Head and Neck
      • Laryngology
      • Otology/Neurotology
      • Pediatric
      • Rhinology
      • Sleep Medicine
    • Career Development
    • Case of the Month
    • Everyday Ethics
    • Health Policy
    • Legal Matters
    • Letter From the Editor
    • Medical Education
    • Online Exclusives
    • Practice Management
    • Resident Focus
    • Rx: Wellness
    • Special Reports
    • Tech Talk
    • Viewpoint
    • What’s Your O.R. Playlist?
  • Literature Reviews
    • Allergy
    • Facial Plastic/Reconstructive
    • Head and Neck
    • Laryngology
    • Otology/Neurotology
    • Pediatric
    • Rhinology
    • Sleep Medicine
  • Events
    • Featured Events
    • TRIO Meetings
  • Contact Us
    • About Us
    • Editorial Board
    • Triological Society
    • Advertising Staff
    • Subscribe
  • Advertise
    • Place an Ad
    • Classifieds
    • Rate Card
  • Search

What Is the Best Test for Diagnosing and Monitoring Treatment Response in Malignant Otitis Externa?

by Joshua J. Sturm, MD, PhD; Sagit Stern Shavit, MD; and Anil K. Lalwani, MD • November 16, 2020

  • Tweet
  • Email
Print-Friendly Version

TRIO Best PracticeTRIO Best Practice articles are brief, structured reviews designed to provide the busy clinician with a handy outline and reference for day-to-day clinical decision making. The ENTtoday summaries below include the Background and Best Practice sections of the original article. To view the complete Laryngoscope article free of charge, visit Laryngoscope.

You Might Also Like

No related posts.

Explore This Issue
November 2020

Background

Malignant otitis externa (MOE), or skull base osteomyelitis, is an aggressive infection that predominantly affects elderly, diabetic, or immunocompromised patients, and is associated with high disease-specific mortality. MOE is suspected in the setting of external otitis associated with granulation tissue and pain; biopsy is obtained to rule out malignancy. CT and/or MRI imaging is useful to delineate bony and soft tissue involvement, respectively. MOE diagnosis is supported by a positive methylene diphosphonate (MDP)-technetium-99 m (Tc99m) bone scan and Gallium-67 (Ga67) scan. Sequential Ga67 scans have been traditionally used to assess antibiotic therapy response. More recently, concern has been raised regarding the accuracy and cost-effectiveness of the current imaging paradigm for diagnosis and treatment response assessment in MOE.

Best Practice

© DesignuaA / shutterstock.com

© DesignuaA / shutterstock.com

Tc99m and Ga67 nuclear studies have historically been used to diagnose and monitor MOE disease progression, respectively. However, the sensitivity and specificity of these studies is more limited than once imagined. Furthermore, they provide little anatomic detail, entail high costs and radiation exposure, and are not widely available. By contrast, CT and MRI are widely available and afford excellent anatomic resolution but are neither sufficiently sensitive nor specific as standalone modalities. 18F-FDG-PET/CT is a promising hybrid imaging modality for diagnosing and assessing treatment response in MOE. Future prospective trials comparing 18F-FDG-PET to traditional nuclear imaging paradigms in the management of MOE are necessary.

Filed Under: Otology/Neurotology, TRIO Best Practices Tagged With: clinical care, diagnosisIssue: November 2020

You Might Also Like:

The Triological SocietyENTtoday is a publication of The Triological Society.

The Laryngoscope
Ensure you have all the latest research at your fingertips; Subscribe to The Laryngoscope today!

Laryngoscope Investigative Otolaryngology
Open access journal in otolaryngology – head and neck surgery is currently accepting submissions.

Classifieds

View the classified ads »

TRIO Best Practices

View the TRIO Best Practices »

Top Articles for Residents

  • Do Training Programs Give Otolaryngology Residents the Necessary Tools to Do Productive Research?
  • Why More MDs, Medical Residents Are Choosing to Pursue Additional Academic Degrees
  • What Physicians Need to Know about Investing Before Hiring a Financial Advisor
  • Tips to Help You Regain Your Sense of Self
  • Should USMLE Step 1 Change from Numeric Score to Pass/Fail?
  • Popular this Week
  • Most Popular
  • Most Recent
    • The Dramatic Rise in Tongue Tie and Lip Tie Treatment
    • Some Studies Predict a Shortage of Otolaryngologists. Do the Numbers Support Them?
    • Vertigo in the Elderly: What Does It Mean?
    • Complications for When Physicians Change a Maiden Name
    • Neurogenic Cough Is Often a Diagnosis of Exclusion
    • Vertigo in the Elderly: What Does It Mean?
    • New Developments in the Management of Eustachian Tube Dysfunction
    • Some Laryngopharyngeal Reflux Resists PPI Treatment
    • The Dramatic Rise in Tongue Tie and Lip Tie Treatment
    • Eustachian Tuboplasty: A Potential New Option for Chronic Tube Dysfunction and Patulous Disease
    • Tympanoplasty Tips: Otology Experts Give Advice on the Procedure
    • How Treatment for Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) Is Evolving to Give Patients a Better Night’s Sleep
    • Vestibular Schwannoma Position Relative to Internal Auditory Canal Helps Predict Postoperative Facial Function
    • Vocal Fold Lipoaugmentation Provides Long-Term Voice Improvements for Glottal Insufficiency
    • Upper Lateral Cartilage Mucosal Flap Enables the Successful Closure of Larger Septal Perforations

Polls

Do you think there will be a shortage of otolaryngologists in the next five to 10 years?

View Results

Loading ... Loading ...
  • Polls Archive
  • Home
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use

Visit: The Triological Society • The Laryngoscope • Laryngoscope Investigative Otolaryngology

Wiley
© 2022 The Triological Society. All Rights Reserved.
ISSN 1559-4939

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.