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DOI: 10.1055/s-0038-1640353
Clinical application of MR Imaging with contrast based 3D IR-sequence at Menière disease
Introduction:
Menière's disease is one of the most common inner ear disorders with hearing loss and vertigo. It's etiology and pathogenesis is still incompletely resolved, but the endolymphatic hydrops (EH) has been recognized as the underlying pathomorphology. At present, no audiovestibular function test exists to prove Menière disease. That is why visualization of EH in vivo by MR imaging represents a significant clinical progress.
Methods:
Since 2016, we examined over 30 patients 6 hours after contrast based routine MR Imaging of the temporal bone with thin layer 3D inversion recovery sequence (15 min. scan time) by what the endolymphatic space could indirectly be visualized.
Results:
With the presence of clinical symptoms of Menière's disease, EH on MRI and exclusion of other causes of vertigo and hearing loss, it is possible to confirm the diagnosis of definitve Menière's disease. This is an objective basis to make an informed decision for therapy, and to evaluate the risk benefit especially in case with bilateral hydrops and unilateral hearing loss.
Conclusion:
With this strategy it is possible to avoid disabeling long-term observation periods in vestibular disorders and to improve the compliance of the patient. In our department this procedure becomes of increasing importance as a diagnostic component for Menière's disease which is regularly performed before medical or surgical ablative therapy.
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No conflict of interest has been declared by the author(s).
Publication History
Publication Date:
18 April 2018 (online)
© 2018. The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial-License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
Georg Thieme Verlag KG
Stuttgart · New York