MR imaging of the inner ear: comparison of a three-dimensional fast spin-echo sequence with use of a dedicated quadrature-surface coil with a gadolinium-enhanced spoiled gradient-recalled sequence.
OBJECTIVE
To prospectively evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of magnetic resonance (MR) imaging in the inner ear with a long echo train, three-dimensional (3D), asymmetric Fourier-transform, fast spin-echo (SE) sequence with use of a dedicated quadrature-surface phased-array coil to detect vestibular schwannoma in the cerebellopontine angle and the internal auditory canal.


METHODS
In 205 patients (410 ears) with ear symptoms, 1.5-T MR imaging was performed with unenhanced 3D asymmetric fast SE and gadolinium-enhanced 3D gradient-recalled (SPGR) sequences with use of a quadrature surface phased-array coil. The 3D asymmetric fast SE images were reviewed by two radiologists, with the gadolinium-enhanced 3D SPGR images used as the standard of reference.


RESULTS
Nineteen lesions were detected in the 410 ears (diameter range, 2-30 mm; mean, 10.5 mm +/- 6.4 [standard deviation]; five lesions were smaller than 5 mm). With 3D asymmetric fast SE, sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy, respectively, were 100%, 99.5%, and 99.5% for observer 1 and 100%, 99.7%, and 99.8% for observer 2.


CONCLUSIONS
The unenhanced 3D asymmetric fast SE sequence with a quadrature-surface phased-array coli allows the reliable detection of vestibular schwannoma in the cerebellopontine angle and internal auditory canal.
Department of Radiology, Nagoya University School of Medicine, Japan.
S
S
Naganawa
T
T
Ito
H
H
Fukatsu
T
T
Ishigaki
T
T
Nakashima
N
N
Ichinose
Y
Y
Kassai
M
M
Miyazaki
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016477:Artifacts; D002648:Child; D007758:Ear, Inner / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation*; D007759:Labyrinth Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000295:instrumentation*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009464:Neuroma, Acoustic / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity