Hiroshi Inui1, Tsuyoshi Sakamoto2, Taeko Ito3, Tadashi Kitahara3. 1. Inui ENT Clinic, 47-1 Miwa, Sakurai, Nara, Japan. Electronic address: inui-ent@xg8.so-net.ne.jp. 2. PixSpace. Ltd., 3-8-1 Asano, Kokurakita-ku, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, Japan. 3. Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Nara Medical University, 840 Shijo-cho, Kashihara, Nara, Japan.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to measure the volume of the endolymphatic space (ELS) and to investigate prognosis in patients with acute low-tone sensorineural hearing loss (ALHL). METHODS: A total of 61 ALHL patients participated; 47 were definite while 14 were probable ALHL cases. The definite ALHL patients were classified into three groups: A, "Cure"; B, "No cure"; and C, "Recurrence." Also, nine patients for whom diagnosis changed from ALHL to cochlear Meniere's disease (cMD) without vertigo (ALHL-cMD group). Images of the inner ear fluid space, positive perilymph, and positive endolymph were acquired using a 3T magnetic resonance scanner. Three-dimensional (3D) images were semi-automatically reconstructed using anatomical and tissue information to fuse the 3D images of the inner ear fluid space with the 3D ELS images. RESULTS: Patients in the no cure group showed a significantly higher ELS/total fluid space (TFS) volume ratio in the affected cochlear region than the patients of the other groups. Additionally, the affected vestibular ELS/TFS volume ratio in the cure group was significantly lower than that in the recurrence group. There were significantly higher cochlear and vestibular ELS/TFS ratios in ALHL-cMD patients than in control subjects. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that the cochlear ELS/TFS volume ratio should be considered when investigating the extent of recovery, while the extended ELS in the vestibule should be considered when investigating cases of recurrence. Thus, our study suggests that the severe extended ELS appeared likely to change to cMD and that the prognostic determination of ALHL is possible.
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to measure the volume of the endolymphatic space (ELS) and to investigate prognosis in patients with acute low-tone sensorineural hearing loss (ALHL). METHODS: A total of 61 ALHL patients participated; 47 were definite while 14 were probable ALHL cases. The definite ALHL patients were classified into three groups: A, "Cure"; B, "No cure"; and C, "Recurrence." Also, nine patients for whom diagnosis changed from ALHL to cochlear Meniere's disease (cMD) without vertigo (ALHL-cMD group). Images of the inner ear fluid space, positive perilymph, and positive endolymph were acquired using a 3T magnetic resonance scanner. Three-dimensional (3D) images were semi-automatically reconstructed using anatomical and tissue information to fuse the 3D images of the inner ear fluid space with the 3D ELS images. RESULTS:Patients in the no cure group showed a significantly higher ELS/total fluid space (TFS) volume ratio in the affected cochlear region than the patients of the other groups. Additionally, the affected vestibular ELS/TFS volume ratio in the cure group was significantly lower than that in the recurrence group. There were significantly higher cochlear and vestibular ELS/TFS ratios in ALHL-cMDpatients than in control subjects. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that the cochlear ELS/TFS volume ratio should be considered when investigating the extent of recovery, while the extended ELS in the vestibule should be considered when investigating cases of recurrence. Thus, our study suggests that the severe extended ELS appeared likely to change to cMD and that the prognostic determination of ALHL is possible.
Authors: Raymond van de Berg; Philippe Lambin; Akshayaa Vaidyanathan; Marly F J A van der Lubbe; Ralph T H Leijenaar; Marc van Hoof; Fadila Zerka; Benjamin Miraglio; Sergey Primakov; Alida A Postma; Tjasse D Bruintjes; Monique A L Bilderbeek; Hammer Sebastiaan; Patrick F M Dammeijer; Vincent van Rompaey; Henry C Woodruff; Wim Vos; Seán Walsh Journal: Sci Rep Date: 2021-02-03 Impact factor: 4.379