3 T – MRI improves intrameatal cranial nerve detection in CI-candidates

Abstract

Background: Cochlear implantation meanwhile is a well established standard therapy in different forms of hearing loss in most ages. Clear depiction of the cochleovestibular anatomy and the cochlear nerve are very important for indication and effectiveness of cochlear implantation.

Aim/objectives: Therefore the question raises whether Highfield MRI improves precision of preoperative diagnostic imaging especially along the the intrameatal portion of the vestibulocochlear nerve.

Methods: We analyzed the MRI scans of 216 temporal bones from 2007 until 2017. In all patients, CI was planned. We compared examinations using 1.5 and 3.0 T MR systems under the aspect of intracanalicular detection of the facial nerve, cochlear nerve, and the vestibular branches.

Results: 3 T-MRI was able to detect the cochlear nerve in all cases, a very important criterion for CI-indication. 3 T-MRI was also superior in the detection of facial nerve and especially the vestibular branches.

Conclusion and significance: The most effective preoperative examination of CI-candidates is the combination of 3 T MRI and multislice HR-CT of the temporal bone.

Chinese abstract

背景：人工耳蜗植入是一种成熟的标准治疗方法, 适用于大多数年龄段不同形式的听力损失。对耳蜗前庭解剖结构和耳蜗神经的清晰描绘对耳蜗植入的标示和有效性具有重要意义。

目的：因此, 问题是高场磁共振能否提高术前诊断成像的精确度, 尤其是前庭耳蜗神经的内肉部分。

方法：对2007年至2017年间216例颞骨的MRI扫描结果进行分析。所有患者都计划植入CI。在面神经、耳蜗神经和前庭支的管内检测方面, 我们用1.5和3.0T磁共振系统比较了检查结果。

结果：3T-MRI能检测所有病例的耳蜗神经, 是诊断CI的重要指标。3T-MRI在面神经尤其是前庭支的检测上也有优势。

结论与意义：对CI植入者最有效的术前检查方法是颞骨3T磁共振成像与多层HR-CT的结合。

Keywords:

• Cochlear implant
• vestibulocochlear nerve
• internal auditory canal
• inner ear
• MRI

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.