A ent said i have a cholesteatoma but the ct report did not indicate i have one. ent still thinks i do and suggests surgery. what now?

Symptoms?: Cholesteatomas can cause dizziness and hearing issues. Usually a ct is performed to make sure there is not another reason for these symptoms, and a ct would most likely not being able to visualize a cholesteatoma. Symptomatic lesions are usually surgically treated. See this page for more info: http://www.Nlm.Nih.Gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001050.Htm.

Cholesteatoma?: If you are unsure whether surgery is the correct option, it would be wise to seek a second opinion. Ask your pcp what other ENT they suggest you see. It will be helpful to the 2nd md if you have the ct on a cd when you go. You can get a copy from the radiology department where you had the test done.

Cholesteatoma?: I would recommend that you see an ear specialist (otologist) for examination and review of the ct scan and not just the report. You can readily obtain a cd copy of the scan from the radiology center you had your ct done. Good luck!

Cholesteatoma: An exploratory surgery might be necessary, or at least to clear away debris to get a better look at the process. A detailed history before surgery could also be helpful.

Your ENTor2nd opin.: Imaging, typically with a computed tomography (ct) scan, should be performed if extracranial complications are suspected. These patients are often systemically ill and will have localizing signs of infection. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is more sensitive and should be ordered when intracranial complications are suspected(mri compliment ct).