title: High-resolution MR images of inner ear internal anatomy using a local gradient coil at 1.5 Tesla: correlation with histological specimen.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To obtain high-resolution MR images of the inner ear at 1.5 Tesla with a local gradient coil and to correlate these images with the histological specimen.
  
  
  METHODS
  All studies were performed on a 1.5 Tesla MR unit with a local gradient coil (23 mT/m, slew rate of 107 mT/m/ms). The cranio-facial region of a cadaver was examined using 3D-fast spin echo (FSE) imaging with the voxel size of 0.27 mm x 0.27 mm x 0.5 mm in 9 h 37 min. Two normal volunteers were examined with the same system using 3D-FSE imaging with the voxel size of 0.20 mm x 0.26 mm x 1.0 mm in 57 min. These images were correlated with the cadaver images and histological specimens.
  
  
  RESULTS
  On cadaver images, internal structures such as the macula utriculi, macula sacculi, crista ampullaris, lamina spiralis ossea, ligamentum spirale cochleae, modiolus, scala tympani, scala vestibuli, and cochlear aqueduct were visualized. On the images of both volunteers, the same structures were visualized as on the cadaver images.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study confirmed that high-resolution MR images obtained at 1.5 Tesla can visualize inner ear internal anatomy. Knowledge obtained in this study may be of significant value for the diagnosis of pathology in the area of the inner ear.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Nagoya University School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Naganawa
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fukatsu
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ishiguchi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ishigaki
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ichinose
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miyazaki
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kassai
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002102:Cadaver; D007758:Ear, Inner / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male