Premium
Advanced techniques in magnetic resonance imaging in the evaluation of the large endolymphatic duct and sac syndrome
Author(s) -
Ric Harnsberger H.,
Dahlen Richard T.,
Shelton Clough,
Gray Steve D.,
Parkin James L.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
the laryngoscope
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.181
H-Index - 148
eISSN - 1531-4995
pISSN - 0023-852X
DOI - 10.1288/00005537-199510000-00005
Subject(s) - vestibular aqueduct , magnetic resonance imaging , medicine , endolymphatic sac , membranous labyrinth , sagittal plane , endolymph , inner ear , anatomy , radiology , nuclear medicine
The purpose of this report is to compare temporal bone computed tomography (CT) to high‐resolution magnetic resonance (MR) imaging using a novel thin‐section fast spin echo (FSE) pulse sequence in identifying and characterizing patients with large vestibular aqueduct syndrome. Sixteen patients with sensorineural hearing loss and a CT diagnosis of large vestibular aqueduct(s) underwent high‐resolution fast spin echo magnetic resonance imaging with dual, 3‐in phased array receiver coils centered over the external auditory canals. Magnetic resonance imaging parameters included axial and oblique sagittal fast spin echo with an effective slice thickness of 1 mm contiguous. Thirty‐eight patients with 76 normal inner ears who underwent MR imaging using this technique had their endolymphatic duct measured. MR alone identified the enlarged endolymphatic sac seen along with the large endolymphatic duct in all cases. Three cases (five inner ears) with enlarged bony vestibular aqueducts on CT showed no evidence of endolymphatic duct or sac enlargement on MR. MR alone identified a single case of mild cochlear anomaly in conjunction with an enlarged endolymphatic duct and sac. In the normal population the size of the normal endolymphatic duct at its midpoint measured from 0.1 to 1.4 mm. Thin‐section, high‐resolution fast spin echo MR imaging of the inner ear may be superior to CT in the evaluation of patients with the large vestibular aqueduct syndrome.