title: Cerumen impaction shown by brain magnetic resonance imaging in patients with cognitive impairment.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Hearing loss is a risk factor for the progression of dementia. Cognitive improvement is occasionally found after removal of cerumen impaction. Because patients with dementia do not usually complain about cerumen impaction, detection methods are important. The present study aimed to investigate whether cerumen impaction is observable using brain magnetic resonance imaging.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were six patients whose hearing level improved 15 dB or more unilaterally or bilaterally after the removal of cerumen impaction. A radiologist who was blind to the impaction side and whether magnetic resonance imaging scans were taken before or after impaction removal classified cerumen impaction as positive, negative or unclear.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three ears classified as impaction positive and five ears classified as impaction negative corresponded accurately to the presence or absence of cerumen impaction. Among four ears classified as unclear, two did and two did not have cerumen impaction.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Careful examination of the external ear canal on brain magnetic resonance imaging can be used to detect cerumen impaction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Obu, Japan.|Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan.
authors.forename: Tsutomu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakashima
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Obu, Japan.
authors.forename: Saiko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sugiura
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan.
authors.forename: Shinji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Naganawa
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Kamiiida Daiichi General Hospital, Nagoya, Japan.
authors.forename: Minori
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yasue
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Obu, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshitaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Inui
authors.affiliation: Center for Comprehensive Care and Research on Memory Disorders, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Obu, Japan.
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sakurai
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Obu, Japan.|Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Aichi Medical University, Nagakute, Japan.
authors.forename: Yasue
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Uchida
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan.
authors.forename: Michihiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sone
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan.
authors.forename: Masaaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Teranishi
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan.
authors.forename: Tadao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Obu, Japan.
authors.forename: Kengo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.affiliation: Center for Comprehensive Care and Research on Memory Disorders, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Obu, Japan.
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Toba
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002571:Cerumen / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male
keywords: cerumen impaction; dementia; external ear canal; hearing loss; magnetic resonance imaging