Tympanomastoidectomy opera­tions were done for 63 patients with active chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM). Preoperattve computed to­mography (CT) scanning and magnet­ic resonance imaging (MRI) were per­formed for all. The CT findings of abnormal soft tissue density associat­ed with bone erosion were 100% spe­cific to the surgical findings of choles-teatoma. Fifty percent (27/54) of patients that had abnormal soft tissue on CT scan in attic area were accom­panied by osseous necrosis of malle­us head and incus body. It was not possible to diagnose or exclude cho-lesteatoma on the basis of CT find­ings alone. CT and MRI were abso­lutely specific (100%) in detection of soft tissue in attic area, mesotympa-num, and mastoid cavity but less sen­sitive in differentiation of cholesteatoma from any other soft tissue masses in chronic ear disease. There was a positive significant correlation be­tween CT (or MRI) findings when compared to the surgical findings (P<0.05). Also CT and MRI were sig­nificantly correlated (P<0.05), Hyper-intensity in T1w images makes the di­agnosis of lateral sinus thrombophlebitis more conclusive. In our series both CT and MRI were of parallel sensitivity in diagnosing brain abscess with actual cavities.