Spontaneous labyrinthine hemorrhage in sickle cell disease.
We report the clinical and MR imaging findings in two African-American patients with manifestations of sickle cell disease affecting the inner ear. Both suffered sudden-onset sensorineural hearing loss and vestibular symptoms, and both had high labyrinthine signal on T1-weighted MR images attributed to labyrinthine hemorrhage. Follow-up studies of the first patient revealed a decrease in abnormal vestibular signal. Careful attention to the labyrinth on T1-weighted MR images can reveal vestibulocochlear clinical findings in sickle cell patients, with important implications for management and prognosis.
Whitehead
R E
RE
Department of Radiology, Boston Medical Center, MA 02118, USA.
MacDonald
C B
CB
Melhem
E R
ER
McMahon
L
L
D000328:Adult; D044383:Black People; D007758:Ear, Inner / Q000473:pathology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006450:Hemoglobin SC Disease / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D007759:Labyrinth Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D001741:Black or African American