Necrotizing external otitis: towards improved imaging techniques and detection

Necrotizing external otitis (NEO) is caused by an infection of the external ear in which there is progression to surrounding soft tissues and bone structures. Classically, NEO presents in elderly patients with diabetes. The clinical symptoms are non-specific and overlap via external otitis. NEO must be recognized in an early stage as the mortality rate lies between 8 to 14%, despite adequate antibiotic treatment. On overage, there is a reported diagnostic delay of 70 days for NEO diagnosis and subsequently adequate antibiotic therapy. This thesis evaluated existing imaging techniques, to improve detection and diagnostic accuracy, and to evaluate the treatment response of NEO in imaging.