Three‐Dimensional Fluid‐Attenuated Inversion Recovery Magnetic Resonance Imaging Findings and Prognosis in Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss

Abstract

3D-FLAIR findings show that high signals in the cochlea on precontrast 3D-FLAIR are related to a poor hearing prognosis. These signals may reflect minor hemorrhage or an increased concentration of protein in the inner ear, which has passed through blood vessels with increased permeability or has originated in disrupted cells in the inner ear.

The Technical and Clinical Features of 3D-FLAIR in Neuroimaging

“…63 Prognosis for hearing was not good in ears with a high signal on precontrast 3D-FLAIR. 65,66 Inflammation A signal increase in the labyrinthine fluid on 3D-FLAIR in various inflammatory diseases such as acute meningitis, acute otitis media, Wegener's granulomatosis, 27 mumps deafness, 26 RamsayHunt syndrome, [67][68][69] and labyrinthine fistula by a cholesteatoma 70 has been reported. Signal increase in the labyrinthine fluid on precontrast 3D-FLAIR suggests the presence of a small degree of hemorrhage or protein, and on post-contrast 3D-FLAIR, enhancement of the labyrinthine fluid suggests the active breakdown of the blood-labyrinthine barrier.…”

MR Diagnosis of Facial Neuritis: Diagnostic Performance of Contrast-Enhanced 3D-FLAIR Technique Compared with Contrast-Enhanced 3D-T1-Fast-Field Echo with Fat Suppression

“…14,15 Moreover, the 3D-FLAIR sequence has been shown useful in the diagnosis of mumps-related deafness and sudden sensorineural hearing loss, and for predicting the prognosis of patients with sudden sensorineural hearing loss, which is not usually demonstrated by the conventional MR imaging sequences. [16][17][18] This ability of the 3D-FLAIR sequence to find minute abnormalities mainly results from the high sensitivity of FLAIR imaging to subtle changes of longitudinal magnetization in the fluid space, which declines with the higher concentration of the contrast agent, different from T1-weighted images. 19,20 The 3D-FLAIR sequence is also known to suppress the signal intensity from the flowing fluid at a velocity exceeding 1.0 cm/s.…”

Clinical Significance of an Increased Cochlear 3D Fluid-Attenuated Inversion Recovery Signal Intensity on an MR Imaging Examination in Patients with Acoustic Neuroma

“…Increased signal intensity of the fluid on FLAIR MR images has been reported in various diseases, including sudden sensorineural hearing loss, labyrinthine hemorrhage, otosclerosis, Ramsay Hunt syndrome, and acoustic neuromas (ANs). [1][2][3][4][5][6] The increased cochlear signal on FLAIR images in patients with ANs is explained by an increased concentration of protein in the perilymphatic space. [7][8][9][10][11][12] FLAIR MR imaging is sensitive to fluids with a high protein content.…”