title: Prevalence of labyrinthine ossification in CT and MR imaging of patients with acute deafness to severe sensorineural hearing loss.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the prevalence of labyrinthine ossification, and especially cochlear ossification, in a cohort of patients with unilateral sudden deafness or severe sensorineural hearing loss.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective data collection.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-four consecutive patients with unilateral sudden deafness or severe sensorineural hearing loss and either high-resolution CT (HRCT) of the temporal bone (isotropic spatial resolution ≤ 0.8 mm; n = 18) or high resolution CISS MRI (isotropic spatial resolution ≤ 1 mm; n = 55) were included. Nine patients underwent both imaging modalities. A standardized reading regarding labyrinthine ossifications was performed by an experienced head and neck radiologist blinded to clinical symptoms.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Radiologic signs of cochlear ossification were present in 14 patients (12 CT and 2 MRI). Eight patients showed unilateral and six patients bilateral signs of cochlear ossification. In all except one of the unilateral cases, the deafened ear was affected.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Signs of cochlear ossification were found in an unexpectedly high rate (14/64, 22%) of patients with acute deafness. The data suggest HRCT of the temporal bone to be more sensitive to detect labyrinthine ossification than MRI. HRCT of the temporal bone should therefore be considered in patients with impaired recovery of acute deafness to exclude cochlear ossification; if present, and, in cases of early signs, the patient should be evaluated further to facilitate early cochlear implantation before progression impedes electrode insertion, reflecting latest developments considering cochlea implants for single-sided deafness to be effective.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Ludwig Maximilian University, Munich, Germany. thomas.braun@med.uni-muenchen.de
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Braun
authors.forename: Franziska
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dirr
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Berghaus
authors.forename: John Martin
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Hempel
authors.forename: Eike
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Krause
authors.forename: Joachim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.forename: Birgit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ertl-Wagner
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D002648:Child; D003051:Cochlea / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D003639:Hearing Loss, Sudden / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007759:Labyrinth Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009999:Ossification, Heterotopic; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015995:Prevalence; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013701:Temporal Bone / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014722:Vestibule, Labyrinth / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D055815:Young Adult