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World J Radiol. Feb 28, 2026; 18(2): 116610
Published online Feb 28, 2026. doi: 10.4329/wjr.v18.i2.116610
Published online Feb 28, 2026. doi: 10.4329/wjr.v18.i2.116610
High-resolution computed tomography predicts optimal cochlear implantation strategy in patients with chronic otitis media
Li-Jing Zhao, Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310009, Zhejiang Province, China
Li-Jing Zhao, Yong Fu, Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Children’s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Children and Adolescents’ Health and Diseases, Hangzhou 310051, Zhejiang Province, China
Zhi-Li Zhang, Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310024, Zhejiang Province, China
Co-corresponding authors: Yong Fu and Zhi-Li Zhang.
Author contributions: Zhao LJ performed the data curation and formal analyses, and writing of the original draft; Fu Y served as the strategic and academic leader, providing the overarching conceptual vision, senior supervision, project administration, performed the conceptualization and supervision; Zhang ZL served as the technical and operational leader; conceived the study and methodology development; acquired the funding and necessary resources, and performed the surgery; Fu Y and Zhang ZL are designated as co-corresponding authors based on their synergistic and equally critical leadership, which operated at complementary strategic and operational levels, and wrote, reviewed, and edited the manuscript. Both authors jointly guided the research direction and manuscript preparation, and their partnership was indispensable to the project’s success.
Supported by the “Pioneer” and “Leading Goose” Research and Experimental Development Program of Zhejiang Province, No. 2025C01108.
Institutional review board statement: This study was reviewed and approved by the Clinical Research Ethics Committee of the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine (Approval No. 2025B IIT Ethics Approval No. 1088).
Informed consent statement: This retrospective study was deemed to involve no more than minimal risk to participants; therefore, the requirement for written informed consent was formally waived by the ethics committee, in accordance with relevant guidelines (Committee on Publication Ethics). General consent for treatment and the use of anonymized data for quality improvement and research had been obtained from all patients as part of the routine clinical care.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
STROBE statement: The authors have read the STROBE Statement-checklist of items, and the manuscript was prepared and revised according to the STROBE Statement-checklist of items.
Data sharing statement: All data generated or analyzed during this study are included in this article. Further enquiries can be directed to the corresponding author.
Corresponding author: Zhi-Li Zhang, MD, PhD, Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, No. 366 Wutong Road, Xihu District, Hangzhou 310024, Zhejiang Province, China.
Received: November 17, 2025
Revised: December 28, 2025
Accepted: January 22, 2026
Published online: February 28, 2026
Processing time: 102 Days and 2.1 Hours
Revised: December 28, 2025
Accepted: January 22, 2026
Published online: February 28, 2026
Processing time: 102 Days and 2.1 Hours
Core Tip
Core Tip: This study demonstrates that preoperative high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) is a decisive tool for planning cochlear implantation in patients with chronic otitis media. Complete mastoid opacification on HRCT reliably predicts the need for radical surgery (canal wall-down/subtotal petrosectomy), whereas a clear mastoid permits a conservative (canal wall-up) approach. HRCT also accurately detects cochlear ossification, enabling crucial preoperative pre