Three-dimensional Real Inversion Recovery MRI Imaging in Sudden Deafness and Its Relationship with Prognosis

ZHANG Chenghui; WANG Weitao; REN Fangfang; JI Shaojie; ZHOU Dingkun

doi:10.3969/j.issn.1672-2922.2024.01.013

Abstract：Objective To report inner ear three-dimensional real inversion recovery(3D Real IR)imaging in pa-tients with sudden deafness and the relationship between signal intensity and prognosis.Methods A total of 60 patients with unilateral sudden hearing loss from September 25,2022 to April 10,2023 were included.Hearing pattern included low frequency loss(n=4),high frequency loss(n=1),all frequency loss(n=34)and total deafness(n=21).Patients with the latter two types of hearing loss(n=55)were further divided into a no effect group(n=25)and an improvement group(n=30)based on treatment outcomes.Hearing loss in these patients was graded as mild in 11 cases,moderate in 7 cases,severe in 16 cases and profound in 21 cases.Cochlear signal strength in the affected ears(n=55)was compared to that of the healthy ears(n=55).Signal strength of the medulla oblongata was measured and cochlea/medulla signal ratio(CM)was calculated to determine the relationship between cochlea signal intensity and treatment outcome.Results The CM ratio was significantly higher in non-responding patients than that in patients showing improvement(P<0.01),and showed significant differences between affected and healthy ears(P<0.05)but not for different degrees of hearing loss(F =0.304,P=0.823).Conclusion Increasing perilymph signal intensity on the 3D Real IR sequence is related to increased blood-labyrinth barrier permeability.The CM ratio can be used to evaluate the severity of inner ear damage in patients with sudden deafness,although it does not appear to correlate with the degree of audiometric thresholds.It however can serve as a prognostic indicator for treatment outcomes in sudden deafness,with 1.58 or greater indicating a poor progno-sis.