Imaging analysis in cases with inflammation-induced sensorineural hearing loss.
CONCLUSIONS
3D-FLAIR imaging is sensitive to inflammatory inner ear disturbances and may be a useful method in investigating the severity of inner ear disturbance in cases of inflammation-induced SNHL.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the usefulness of the three-dimensional fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (3D-FLAIR) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sequence in investigating different etiology of inner ear disturbances in cases with inflammation-induced acute sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL).


METHODS
Five cases with inflammation-induced acute SNHL by different conditions are included in this study: acute meningitis, acute otitis media, and Wegener granulomatosis. Imaging analysis was performed using a three-dimensional fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (3D-FLAIR) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sequence, and correlation between clinical symptoms and FLAIR abnormalities was evaluated.


RESULTS
In the affected ears in all cases, 3D-FLAIR revealed high pre-contrast signal and increased signal in the cochlea after the administration of gadolinium. Enhancement was still observed in the inner ear after several months with continuing nystagmus in those cases induced by meningitis and severe otitis media. In a case with Wegener granulomatosis, increased signal in the post-contrast images was stronger on the side of the cochlea with the worse hearing level.
Sone
Michihiko
M
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan. michsone@med.nagoya-u.ac.jp
Mizuno
Terukazu
T
Naganawa
Shinji
S
Nakashima
Tsutomu
T
D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000008:administration & dosage; D007758:Ear, Inner / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA / Q000008:administration & dosage; D014890:Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis / Q000150:complications; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D007249:Inflammation / Q000150:complications*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D016920:Meningitis, Bacterial / Q000150:complications; D008875:Middle Aged; D010033:Otitis Media / Q000150:complications
D003287:Contrast Media; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA