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Arain Z, Abbas Y, Adams A. Pediatric otosyphilis-An unusual cause of conductive hearing loss. Radiol Case Rep. 2019;15(1):65-70doi: 10.1016/j.radcr.2019.09.038.
Arain, Z., Abbas, Y., & Adams, A. (2020). Pediatric otosyphilis-An unusual cause of conductive hearing loss. Radiology case reports, 15(1), 65-70. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.radcr.2019.09.038
Arain, Zoya, et al. "Pediatric otosyphilis-An unusual cause of conductive hearing loss." Radiology case reports vol. 15,1 (2020): 65-70. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.radcr.2019.09.038
Arain Z, Abbas Y, Adams A. Pediatric otosyphilis-An unusual cause of conductive hearing loss. Radiol Case Rep. 2019 Nov 09;15(1):65-70. doi: 10.1016/j.radcr.2019.09.038. eCollection 2020 Jan. PMID: 31737149; PMCID: PMC6849424.
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Radiol Case Rep. 2019 Nov 09;15(1):65-70. doi: 10.1016/j.radcr.2019.09.038. eCollection 2020 Jan.

Pediatric otosyphilis-An unusual cause of conductive hearing loss.

Radiology case reports

Zoya Arain, Yasmin Abbas, Ashok Adams

Affiliations

  1. Darent Valley Hospital, Darenth Wood Rd, Dartford DA2 8DA, UK.
  2. Barts Health NHS Trust, The Royal London Hospital, Whitechapel Rd, Whitechapel E1 1BB, UK.

PMID: 31737149 PMCID: PMC6849424 DOI: 10.1016/j.radcr.2019.09.038

Abstract

We present the case of a 5 year old female with a unilateral conductive hearing loss which had a relapsing and remitting course over a 3 year period. An initial noncontrast CT temporal bone study was unremarkable and a diagnosis of otitis media was made in the first instance. However, a second CT temporal bone study performed 3 years later demonstrated bilateral demineralisation of the ossicles and abnormal lucency affecting both the otic capsules. A diagnosis of otosyphilis was proposed on the basis of the imaging features and a prior medical history of previously treated congenital syphilis. With the benefit of hindsight, early pericochlear lucency was identified on the initial CT temporal bone study. There has been a steady rise of syphilis cases since the millennium with resurgence in many high income countries. Otosyphilis has a highly variable clinical presentation and there is limited data to establish the pattern of hearing loss in pediatric patients with a background of congenital otosyphilis. Temporal bone and otic capsule demineralisation carries a broad differential diagnosis including osteogenesis imperfecta, otosclerosis, Paget's disease and radiation related changes. Otosyphilis is a rare but potentially treatable cause of deafness and a high index of suspicion is required to make the diagnosis. In conjunction with a positive syphilis serology, a noncontrast temporal bone CT can aid the diagnosis and expedite the treatment.

© 2019 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of University of Washington.

Keywords: Congenital; Juvenile; Otosyphilis; Pediatric

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