# Temporal Bone Pneumatization and Pulsatile Tinnitus Caused by Sigmoid Sinus Diverticulum and/or Dehiscence

## TL;DR

This study found no significant difference in temporal bone pneumatization between people with pulsatile tinnitus caused by SSDD and healthy individuals.

## Contribution

The study provides new empirical evidence on temporal bone pneumatization in pulsatile tinnitus patients with SSDD.

## Key findings

- Temporal bone pneumatization grades were similar between PT patients and healthy controls.
- No significant difference was found in pneumatization severity between affected and healthy ears.
- Air cells in the temporal bone may contribute to PT but do not differ in severity from healthy individuals.

## Abstract

Background. Although air cells within temporal bone may play an important role in the transmission of pulsatile tinnitus (PT) noise, it has not been studied systematically. Purpose. To evaluate the difference in temporal bone pneumatization between PT patients with sigmoid sinus diverticulum and/or dehiscence (SSDD) and healthy people. Material and Methods. A total of 199 unilateral persistent PT patients with SSDD and 302 control subjects underwent dual-phase contrast-enhanced CT (DP-CECT), to assess the grade of temporal bone pneumatization in each ear. Results. In the bilateral temporal bone of 302 controls, 16 ears were grade I, 53 were grade II, 141 were grade III, and 394 were grade IV. Among the affected ears of 199 PT cases, 1 ear was grade I, 18 were grade II, 53 were grade III, and 127 were grade IV. There was no significant difference in the pneumatization grade between the affected PT ear and either ear in the healthy subjects (p > 0.05).  Conclusion. Although air cells within the temporal bone are an important factor in the occurrence of PT, its severity does not differ significantly from the pneumatization of healthy people.