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How Does an Otolaryngologist Look Inside the Middle Ear?

If you experience an ear infection or hearing loss, your otolaryngologist might suspect the existence of growth within your middle ear. She may order an imaging test so she can look inside your middle ear.

  1. Middle Ear

    • The middle ear lies beyond the ear canal and the eardrum. It contains three small bones involved in hearing. If you have growth within the ear or a severe ear infection that is spreading, your otolaryngologist could need to view your middle ear to diagnose the problem.

    CT Scan

    • Because the middle ear is not visible externally, your otolaryngologist can use a CT scan in order to view it. Non-invasive, a CT scan provides doctors with a two-dimensional cross-sectional view of your middle ear. Doctors use the scan to identify a growth within the middle ear or to see if an infection has spread.

    Considerations

    • X-rays and MRI imaging tests can also provide a view of your middle ear. For the most common reasons for needing to view the middle ear and for surgical planning, a CT scan provides the best image.

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