ENT features
Radiology of referred otalgia
Otalgia is a common presenting complaint to Ear Nose and Throat Departments. Otalgia is either primary or secondary (referred) [1]. Referred otalgia is a ‘red flag’ symptom and can be a diagnostic challenge for clinicians and radiologists as the pathology...
Detecting postoperative cholesteatoma with diffusion weighted magnetic resonance imaging
Middle ear cleft cholesteatoma is an inflammatory disease that erodes local bony structures and can cause otorrhea, hearing loss, vertigo and intracranial complications. It is usually treated with surgery, typically canal wall up (CWU) or canal wall down (CWD) surgery....
Imaging in hyperparathyroidism
Following their caudal migration at eight weeks of development, the parathyroid glands normally locate posterolaterally to the upper pole of the thyroid gland at the level of the cricoid cartilage (superior parathyroid glands arising from the fourth branchial pouch and...
Head and neck cancer and PET-CT
Positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) is an imaging technique in which abnormalities of tissue metabolism are precisely superimposed onto the anatomy. It relies on the premise that malignant cells are more metabolically active compared with non-malignant cells. On this basis,...
Nuclear heads – and necks
Imaging of the extra-cranial head and neck is challenging due to the anatomic complexity of the region. CT, MRI and ultrasonography (US) are amongst the most frequently utilised radiological modalities in head and neck imaging but do not always provide...
Imaging and management of head and neck vascular anomalies
Vascular anomalies are a diffuse spectrum of abnormalities which often involve the head, neck and oral cavity. They are frequently misnamed, often being generically labelled as haemangiomas. This lack of basic understanding can cause confusion leading to a cascade of...
Role of interventional neuroradiology in otorhinolarygological pathology – a brief review
Introduction Since its advent in 1964 when Dotter percutaneously dilated a stenosed femoral artery [1], interventional radiology has undergone tremendous advancement in both imaging and devices that have enabled the operator (interventional radiologist) to access very distal small vasculature and...
Philosophy and reality of entrepreneurship
Before you take the time to read this article, be informed that it is indeed hard to be an entrepreneur. It warrants passion, sacrifice, total commitment and willingness to spend day and night (even in your sleep) thinking and working...
Entrepreneurial aspirations for the otolaryngologist
Entrepreneurship is a process of identifying an idea and starting a business venture with this idea. It requires generation of a business model or plan that emphasises the value proposition for the customer. The model must identify the partners, resources,...
Developing a telemedical approach to tinnitus treatment for a worldwide market
Most of us have probably met at least one person in our lives who suffers from the notorious ringing in the ear, tinnitus. For many this ringing becomes a nightmare and debilitates them. Tinnitus is defined as the perception of...
Job Ahead: understanding the business and financial aspects of US practice
Dr Christiansen brings over 30 years of experience as a practising otolaryngologist both in private practice and in academic medicine as Associate Professor of Clinical Otolaryngology at the University of Missouri School of Medicine. Dr Christiansen started his career in...
Establishing a medical device company: an ENTrepreneur’s experience
In 2004, while I was suturing the mucopericondrial flaps for a septoplasty, I thought to myself, “there must be an easier and faster way of doing this”. Even though I had no formal training in business or medical device development,...
