PURPOSE: To describe a sign in magnetic resonance (MR) imaging that could reflect the state of the cochlear nerve before hearing-preservation surgery in small vestibular schwannomas. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-one patients with serviceable hearing underwent 1.5-T MR imaging before hearing-preservation surgery. The presence of cochlear fossa enhancement on T1-weighted spin-echo images obtained after the administration of contrast material was compared with the results of hearing-preservation surgery. RESULTS: Cochlear fossa enhancement was present in 13 patients, and all of them had total hearing loss after surgery. There was no cochlear fossa enhancement in 18 patients; 15 maintained serviceable hearing after surgery, and three had postoperative hearing loss with no serviceable hearing (sensitivity, 81%; specificity, 100%). CONCLUSION: Cochlear fossa enhancement on T1-weighted spin-echo images seems to be a reliable sign for analyzing the state of the cochlear nerve. The absence of cochlear fossa enhancement could become an additional criterion for selecting the surgical approach in vestibular schwannomas.
PURPOSE: To describe a sign in magnetic resonance (MR) imaging that could reflect the state of the cochlear nerve before hearing-preservation surgery in small vestibular schwannomas. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-one patients with serviceable hearing underwent 1.5-T MR imaging before hearing-preservation surgery. The presence of cochlear fossa enhancement on T1-weighted spin-echo images obtained after the administration of contrast material was compared with the results of hearing-preservation surgery. RESULTS: Cochlear fossa enhancement was present in 13 patients, and all of them had total hearing loss after surgery. There was no cochlear fossa enhancement in 18 patients; 15 maintained serviceable hearing after surgery, and three had postoperative hearing loss with no serviceable hearing (sensitivity, 81%; specificity, 100%). CONCLUSION: Cochlear fossa enhancement on T1-weighted spin-echo images seems to be a reliable sign for analyzing the state of the cochlear nerve. The absence of cochlear fossa enhancement could become an additional criterion for selecting the surgical approach in vestibular schwannomas.
Authors: K L Salzman; H C Davidson; H R Harnsberger; C M Glastonbury; R H Wiggins; S Ellul; C Shelton Journal: AJNR Am J Neuroradiol Date: 2001-08 Impact factor: 3.825