Thin-slice computed tomography of the petrous bones (temporal bones)
Temporal Bone CT Scan (Ear) in Casablanca
The petrous bone is the part of the temporal bone, on the side of the skull, that houses the middle ear and the inner ear. A temporal bone CT scan uses X-rays and very thin slices to show these small structures: the ossicles (tiny bones that transmit sound), the tympanic cavity, the ear canal and the balance canals. It is most often done without injection. It helps the ENT specialist understand hearing loss or an ear infection that persists, and prepare for ear surgery.
Duration, report and equipment
Duration
The image acquisition takes only a few seconds, and the exam on the table usually lasts 5 to 10 minutes.
Report turnaround
Report within 24 hours. In an emergency, during opening hours, the report is handed over immediately.
Equipment
GE Revolution
When is this exam needed?
- Hearing loss, especially if it affects only one ear or is getting worse.
- Chronic ear infection, persistent discharge from the ear or suspected cholesteatoma (a pocket of skin that grows in the middle ear).
- Assessment before ear surgery or before a cochlear implant is fitted.
- Blow to the head followed by bleeding from the ear, reduced hearing or facial paralysis.
- Vertigo or tinnitus (buzzing, whistling) when the doctor is looking for a cause in the bone.
How the exam is done
The radiographer checks the request, then you remove hearing aids, earrings, glasses, hair clips and facial piercings. Lying on your back, your head is held in a head holder by small cushions placed on each side, so that it stays perfectly straight.
The structures of the ear measure only a few millimeters: the slightest movement can blur the image. You are therefore asked not to move, talk or swallow during the short pass of the table through the ring. You hear a humming sound, without feeling anything. Both ears are generally examined together, which allows the radiologist to compare them. Once the images have been checked, you put your hearing aids back in and you can leave.
Preparation
- Remove your hearing aids just before the exam and keep their case with you.
- Take off earrings, ear piercings and metal hair clips.
- If you suffer from severe vertigo, have someone accompany you home.
Fasting
No fasting is needed, even if an injection is planned. Drink normally.
Contrast injection
In general, no injection is given: the bone and the air of the ear are naturally easy to see. For a complicated infection or a mass, the radiologist may request an iodinated contrast agent injected into a vein in the arm, but MRI is often preferred to study the nerves.
Contraindications and precautions
- Previous reaction to an iodinated contrast agent: tell us when you book; a preparation or another exam may be offered.
- Diabetes treated with metformin, or kidney disease: please tell us. Depending on your kidney function, the radiologist will tell you whether metformin should be paused after the injection. Bring a recent creatinine test if you are asked to.
- Thyroid disease, to be reported if an injection is being considered.
- Current or possible pregnancy: you must tell us before the exam. A CT scan uses X-rays: it is performed during pregnancy only if it is essential.
- Breastfeeding: please tell us. It is generally not necessary to stop breastfeeding after an iodinated contrast injection.
- Severe vertigo or a young child likely to move: let us know so that the organization can be adapted.
Documents to bring
- Prescription from the ENT specialist or the doctor
- Recent audiogram (hearing test) if you have one
- Previous CT scans or MRIs of the ear, and surgical reports
- List of your medications
- Insurance or mutual insurance fund card
- Cochlear implant card, if applicable
Price and insurance coverage
The price of a temporal bone CT scan depends on an iodinated contrast injection, which is rarely given and reserved for a complicated infection or a mass.
The center accepts coverage from insurance companies and the main mutual insurance funds. You submit the coverage request to your insurer or fund yourself. For AtlantaSanad and Sanlam, the center takes care of it.
No prices are shown on this site: Kenza gives you the exact price on WhatsApp, along with the coverage procedure for your situation.
Frequently asked questions
Why a CT scan rather than an MRI for the ear?
The CT scan shows bone and air in very fine detail: the ossicles, the walls of the middle ear, the canals of the inner ear. MRI is better suited to the nerves of hearing and balance and to the fluid of the inner ear. The two exams are often complementary, and your ENT specialist chooses according to the question.
Do I have to remove my hearing aids?
Yes. Their metal and electronic components create artifacts (streaks on the image) exactly at the spot being studied. You remove them in the room, just before lying down, and put them back in as soon as the exam ends. Remember to bring their case so you do not lose them.
Can I have this CT scan with a cochlear implant?
Yes, the CT scan does not have the constraints linked to the MRI magnet. It is even often used to check the position of the electrode after the implant is fitted. The external part (processor) is removed during the exam. The implant creates artifacts around it: mention it so that the radiologist can adapt the technique.
Is this CT scan suitable for children?
Yes, especially for certain types of hearing loss or complicated ear infections in children. The settings take age into account to limit the X-ray dose to what is necessary. Since keeping still is essential, explain the exam to your child in advance and tell us when you book if your child is likely to move.
Temporal Bone CT Scan (Ear) in Casablanca: how much does it cost?
The price of a temporal bone CT scan depends on an iodinated contrast injection, which is rarely given and reserved for a complicated infection or a mass. The center accepts coverage from insurance companies and the main mutual insurance funds. No prices are shown on this site: Kenza gives you the exact price on WhatsApp, along with the coverage procedure for your situation.