INTRODUCTION
Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV)
is a necrotising vasculitis that predominantly affects small-size
vessels ofany organ. Among AAV, granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA)
and eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA) frequently
affect the eartodevelopvarious otologic manifestations, including
external otitis, otitis media, sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL), and
facial paresis.1,2However, the lack of specific
imaging methods1occasionally hinders early diagnosis
of otologic involvement,which is essential for preventing irreversible
hearing loss and other long-term complications caused by systemic AAV.
Temporal bone study of GPA shows evidence of vasculitis in the Fallopian
canal with and without the clinical presentation of facial
paresis.3The stylomastoid artery(SMA) in the Fallopian
canalsupplies the posterior half of the external ear canal, tympanic
cavity, mastoid, and facial nerve,4which are
consistent with frequent sites of otologic involvement in GPA and EGPA.
In the present study, using contrast-enhanced, 3D T1-weighted,magnetic
resonance imaging (MRI) with gradient-echo sequences
(CE-3D-GRE),5,6we tested the hypothesis that this
imaging protocol could detect signs of vasculitis in the Fallopian
canal, which may cause otologic involvement in AAV patients.