Imaging of the inner ear in patients with sensorineural hearing loss or vertigo.

Imaging of the Inner Ear in Patients with Sensorineural Hearing Loss or Ver tigo. Background: Progress in surgical techniques in the temporal bone has lead to the demand of exact delineation of this complex anatomical region f or preoperative planning. The aim of this study was to assess the potential of a three-dimensional T2 weighted turbo-spin-echo-sequence to depict anat omical details and pathological changes of the inner ear. Methods: Twenty-f ive patients presenting with sensori-neural hearing loss and/or vertigo wer e included in this study. A T2 weighted turbo-spin-echo-sequence was carrie d out on a 1.5 T imager, employing a surface coil with a diameter of 8 cm. The scan parameters were set as follows: TR 2000, TE 500, scan matrix 128 x 128, field of view 90 mm, slice thickness 0.66 mm, NSA 4. In addition, 3D maximum-intensity-projections (MIP) were created, using these data as sourc e images. Results: Image quality was excellent in all 25 cases. The 2.5 coc hlear windings, modiolus, vestibule with saccule and utricle all three semi circular canals, crus commune and the facial nerve and vestibulocochlear ne rve in the inner auditory canal were clearly delineated in all, patients. T he cochlear aqueduct was seen in 32% (8 cases), while the vestibular aquedu ct was delineated in 16% (4 cases) in this series. In Min, the entire labyr inth was shown in a single view. In 22 patients regular morphology was foun d,while in three cases pathological changes were detected (an enlarged vest ibular aqueduct and saccus in one patient, partial fibrous obliteration of the labyrinth in two patients). Conclusions: The introduced TSE sequence ca n be used to delineate the anatomy of the inner ear as well as pathological changes. The technique appears to be useful for preoperative planning.