Mastoiditis

Mastoiditis occurs when the mastoid process of the temporal bone becomes infected. Mastoiditis is commonly the result of a progressed middle ear infection that has been left untreated. Patients usually complain of pain, redness or swelling around the mastoid area. Patients may also complain of fever or a headache, whereas infants usually display nonspecific symptoms including of diarrhea, irritability, or not eating. In worse case scenarios, patients could have ear drainage. The most common treatment for mastoiditis is intravenous antibiotics, although surgery may be necessary if the antibiotics do not work. Treatment of mastoiditis is especially important so the infection does not spread to the brain or surround structures such as the inner ear or cranial bone. Cat scans are commonly used to diagnosis mastoiditis.

Below is an axial image of a Cat Scan in which the patient has mastoiditis. Notice the mastoid air cells on the patients right side appear different compared to the patient's mastoid air cells on the left. Consequently, the patient has mastoiditis within the right mastoid air cells.

further information about mastoiditis can be found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mastoiditis.