[Compliance with diagnostic MRI in the workup of sudden sensorineural hearing loss].
BACKGROUND
Sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL] can be the presenting symptom of an acoustic neurinoma. High sensitivity and specificity rates define magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain and internal acoustic canal as the gold standard for the diagnosis of retro-cochlear pathologies. A previous study revealed low compliance rates (49%] for performing an MRI after an episode of SSNHL; 15% of patients who had an MRI were diagnosed with a retro-cochlear pathology.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate current compliance rates for performing an MRI of the brain and internal acoustic canal after an episode of SSNHL.


METHODS
The study cohort included 41 patients, 24 females and 17 male, with an average age of 49.8 +/- 16.8 years (range, 16-78 years), who were diagnosed with SSNHL and admitted for treatment between December 2009 and June 2010.


RESULTS
Two months after discharge from hospitalization, only 29 patients (70.7%) returned for the scheduled followup. Only 21 patients (51.2% of those admitted) had an MRI of the brain and internal acoustic canal, as was recommended upon their discharge. Three of those who had an MRI were diagnosed with a retro-cochlear pathology. In 20 patients [48.8%) who did not perform an MRI, a retro-cochlear pathology could not be ruled out.


CONCLUSIONS
Compliance rates for performing an MRI after an episode of SSNHL haven't changed in recent years. The main reason seems to be poor patients' compliance, as well as their general practitioners and health insurance companies. Ruling out retro-cochlear pathologies by means of MRI is highly important and considered common medical practice. Guidelines regarding the importance of MRI after an episode of SSNHL should be updated and reinforced.
Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Bnai-Zion Medical Center, Haifa, Israel.
Noam
N
Yehudai
Amit
A
Wolfovitz
Saqr
S
Masoud
Jacob
J
Ben-David
Michal
M
Luntz
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D003639:Hearing Loss, Sudden / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance; D055815:Young Adult