Role of follow-up gallium scintigraphy in the evaluation of malignant external otitis (skull base osteomyelitis): A case report.

Teruhisa Yano, Ryota Tomioka, Taro Inagaki, Ryo Akai, Keitaro Miyake, Sayaka Arai, Kiyoaki Tsukahara

Abstract readCase Reports

In one paragraph

Article in SAGE open medical case reports, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it

0cells of the map it votes in

1citing papers in PubMed

–field-weighted citation impact

1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

Usefulness ofJournal of otology · 2026
Article

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Teruhisa YanoDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck surgery, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo, Japan.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0005-4011-0778

Ryota TomiokaDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck surgery, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo, Japan.

Taro InagakiDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck surgery, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo, Japan.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8049-8037

Ryo AkaiDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck surgery, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo, Japan.

Keitaro MiyakeDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck surgery, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo, Japan.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5492-567X

Sayaka AraiDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck surgery, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo, Japan.

Kiyoaki TsukaharaDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck surgery, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo, Japan.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Malignant otitis externa (skull base osteomyelitis) can be fatal and long-term antibiotic therapy is recommended. Despite being potentially fatal, this infection causes minor changes in inflammatory biomarkers (white blood cell count and C-reactive protein levels) upon blood testing. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging changes persist over a long period. Therefore, it is difficult to determine the optimal time for the discontinuation of antibiotics. We present a 77-year-old male whose medical history included type 2 diabetes mellitus who suffered from chronic otitis media with Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection. His condition did not improve with proper treatment, and imaging revealed malignant otitis media. Intravenous cefepime treatment was administered. Antibiotic treatment was de-escalated to oral levofloxacin treatment after Gallium-67 scintigraphy showed less accumulation after 6 weeks of Cefepime administration; accumulation almost disappeared after 1 year. In this report, we describe the usefulness of gallium scintigraphy in the evaluation of malignant otitis externa.

Indexed as

gallium scintigraphyMalignant external otitisnecrotizing external otitisskull base osteomyelitis

Identifiers

PMID38764912

DOI10.1177/2050313X241253462

PMCPMC11100390

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