[Diseases of the petrous bone--demands made on radiologic diagnosis from the otosurgical point of view].

Advances in microsurgical techniques in otosurgery as well as further developments in imaging methods enable the surgeon to perform procedures at the petrous bone that are as radical as they can contribute to retaining the function. The present study aims at explaining by means of case reports the specific otosurgical problems in typical diseases of the otobase and at presenting the ranking of the individual imaging methods from the surgeon's point of view. For example, special features in the preoperative diagnosis of glomus tumours, acoustic neurinomas, Ménière's disease, cholesteatomas and so-called petrous bone tip processes are pointed out. A special aspect of radiological and surgical collaboration is seen in highly vascularised tumours of the otobase in respect of the possibilities offered by interventional angiography. The importance of MR-tomography in preoperative diagnostics is assessed with some reservation because this does not show up surgically relevant landmarks.