Ear and audiology: CT in cochlear otosclerosis: practice question

A ENT question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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ENT · Ear and audiology: CT in cochlear otosclerosis

Sample item

A 42-year-old woman with otosclerosis now has a mixed loss with a sensorineural component. High-resolution CT shows a band of reduced density encircling the cochlea. What is the radiological sign called?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

C. Double ring sign

In retrofenestral otosclerosis, demineralised foci surround the cochlea, giving a second low-density ring around the cochlear turns, the double ring sign. The ice-cream cone is the MRI appearance of a vestibular schwannoma, and the Carhart notch is audiometric.

Option by option

  • A. Ice-cream cone sign

    The ice-cream cone sign describes a schwannoma in the internal auditory canal and cerebellopontine angle.

  • B. Carhart notch

    Carhart notch is a dip in bone conduction at 2 kHz on the audiogram, not a CT finding.

  • C. Double ring sign (correct)

    Correct. A hypodense band encircling the cochlea is the double ring sign of cochlear otosclerosis.

  • D. Brown sign

    Brown sign is the blanching of a red vascular middle ear mass on pneumatic otoscopy in a glomus tumour.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

More ENT questions

Questions about this ENT question

What is the answer to this ENT question?

The best answer is C, Double ring sign. In retrofenestral otosclerosis, demineralised foci surround the cochlea, giving a second low-density ring around the cochlear turns, the double ring sign.

Why is "Ice-cream cone sign" not the answer?

The ice-cream cone sign describes a schwannoma in the internal auditory canal and cerebellopontine angle.

Why is "Carhart notch" not the answer?

Carhart notch is a dip in bone conduction at 2 kHz on the audiogram, not a CT finding.

Why is "Brown sign" not the answer?

Brown sign is the blanching of a red vascular middle ear mass on pneumatic otoscopy in a glomus tumour.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Ear and audiology: CT in cochlear otosclerosis in ENT. The ice-cream cone is the MRI appearance of a vestibular schwannoma, and the Carhart notch is audiometric.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as a multi-step question: it asks you to combine more than one idea. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Ear and audiology: CT in cochlear otosclerosis?

Learn tuning fork results and audiogram patterns by sketching them. Then use the flashcards and the other ENT questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.