High-resolution MRI of the human cochlea.

The majority of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies in neurotology concern the evaluation of retrocochlear pathologies or temporal bone lesions. Recently, quite a number of investigators have attempted to use imaging diagnosis to obtain a diagnosis and manifest the pathological findings of Meniere's disease. However, there is no evidence that endolymphatic hydrops in patients with Meniere's disease can be identified by imaging techniques. In this study we could depict Reissner's membrane clearer than before with the use of image processing. At the present time, we cannot apply the 2.11T MRI machine to patients under FDA regulation. We believe that MRI diagnoses of endolymphatic hydrops and small lesions of the internal structures of the inner ear will be possible in the near future.