CASE 629 Published on 22.10.2000

Auricular calcification

Section

Head & neck imaging

Case Type

Clinical Cases

Authors

A. Papatheodorou, A. Patsalides, L. Thanos, N. Batakis

Patient

75 years, male

Categories
No Area of Interest ; Imaging Technique CT
Clinical History
A male 2nd world war veteran had a head CT after a motor vehicle accident.
Imaging Findings
An elderly man who was involved in a motor vehicle accident, was referred to our hospital for an emergency head CT scan. The patient was hemodynamically stable, had minor head and body bruises and the basic laboratory evaluation was normal. When the patient was asked for previous head injuries, he reported that during Second World War he suffered from extensive ear and nose frostbites.
Discussion
Auricular calcification is a clinical entity in which auricular cartilage becomes partly or wholly calcified. This condition is generally asymptomatic. Earlobes become hard to palpation and it is an incidental finding in head CT. The occurrence of auricular calcification is unknown. Common causes of this condition are: Cold injuries (frostbites), local trauma, local radiation therapy, hypopituitarism and primary adrenal insufficiency (Adisson’s disease).
Differential Diagnosis List
Auricular calcification
Final Diagnosis
Auricular calcification
Case information
URL: https://www.eurorad.org/case/629
DOI: 10.1594/EURORAD/CASE.629
ISSN: 1563-4086