Signal Alteration of the Inner Ear on High-Resolution Three-Dimensional Constructive Interference in Steady State Sequence in Patients with Ménière's Disease and Labyrinthitis

Arsany Hakim; Sara-Lynn Hool; Nabil Yassa; Philipe Sebastian Breiding; Manuela Pastore-Wapp; Marco Caversaccio; Lukas Anschuetz; Franca Wagner

doi:10.1159/000525419

Signal Alteration of the Inner Ear on High-Resolution Three-Dimensional Constructive Interference in Steady State Sequence in Patients with Ménière's Disease and Labyrinthitis

Audiol Neurootol. 2022;27(6):449-457. doi: 10.1159/000525419. Epub 2022 Aug 29.

Authors

Arsany Hakim¹, Sara-Lynn Hool², Nabil Yassa^{1

3}, Philipe Sebastian Breiding¹, Manuela Pastore-Wapp^{4

5}, Marco Caversaccio², Lukas Anschuetz², Franca Wagner¹

Affiliations

¹ University Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, Bern University Hospital, Inselspital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
² Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery, Inselspital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
³ Praxis für Neurochirurgie, Wilhelmshaven, Germany.
⁴ Support Center for Advanced Neuroimaging (SCAN), University Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, Bern University Hospital, Inselspital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
⁵ Neurocenter, Luzerner Kantonsspital, Luzern, Switzerland.

Abstract

Introduction: The aim of this study is to evaluate signal alteration in the inner ear using three-dimensional (3D)-constructive interference in steady state (CISS) sequence in patients with Ménière's disease and labyrinthitis and its correlation with clinical and audiological parameters.

Methods: The medical records of the department of otorhinolaryngology were searched for patients with Ménière's disease or labyrinthitis who underwent MRI with 3D-CISS sequence. Blinded analysis of these patients and of MRI from control subjects without middle or inner ear symptoms was performed to detect any signal asymmetry of the inner ear structures. The results were correlated with clinical symptoms and results of audiological and vestibular tests.

Results: Fifty-eight patients with definite Ménière's disease and 5 patients with labyrinthitis as well as 41 control exams were included. A separate analysis was performed for patients with probable Ménière's disease (n = 68). A total of 172 3D-CISS sequences were analyzed by 2 blinded independent neuroradiologists. A CISS-hypointense signal of the inner ear structures was found in 3 patients with definite Ménière's disease (5.2%), in 4 patients with probable Ménière's disease (5.9%), and 2 patients with labyrinthitis (40%). No CISS hypointensity was found in the control group. Although no significant difference in symptoms or audiological test results was found between patients with and without this signal change, the side of hypointensity was frequently correlated with the symptomatic side and with hearing impairment.

Discussion/conclusion: CISS hypointensity of the inner ear structures was evident in patients with clinical conditions other than vestibular schwannoma - more frequently in labyrinthitis than in Ménière's disease. This signal alteration was frequently encountered on the same symptomatic side as that of the pathological audiology tests, but it is not a predictor for hearing or vestibular impairment.

Keywords: Cochlea; Constructive interference in steady state; Endolymphatic hydrops; Inner ear; MRI.

MeSH terms

Ear, Inner* / diagnostic imaging
Ear, Inner* / pathology
Endolymphatic Hydrops*
Humans
Labyrinthitis* / diagnostic imaging
Labyrinthitis* / pathology
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Meniere Disease* / diagnostic imaging

Grants and funding

This research did not receive grant or funding.