Present and future of the labyrinth imaging: Focus on the use of T2-weighted and contrast-enhanced delayed FLAIR (1 h) sequences.

Objective: Part of the recent progress in the labyrinth imaging has been made possible by the rise of contrast-free T2-weighted and delayed (1h) FLAIR sequences. The aim of this article is to review evidence for the use of these two sequences to image the inner ear, especially the posterior membranous labyrinth.

Material And Methods: We analyzed MRI-based papers (2007-2020)using high-resolution T2-weighted or contrast-enhanced FLAIR (1h) sequences to image the inner ear.

MRI of endolymphatic hydrops in patients with intralabyrinthine schwannomas: a case-controlled study using non-enhanced T2-weighted images at 3 T.

Objective: Like other vestibular schwannomas developing in the internal auditory canal, intralabyrinthine schwannomas (ILS) may present with similar symptoms as in endolymphatic hydrops. Two different studies have described MR saccular hydrops in ~ 30% of internal auditory canal vestibular schwannomas, but this association has never been studied in ILS before. The aim of this work is to study the prevalence of a saccular dilation in ILS, on a T2-weigthed sequence at 3 T, compared to a control group.

Importance of signal intensity on T1-weighted spin-echo sequence for the diagnosis of chronic cholesteatomatous otitis.

Objective: The aim of our study was to evaluate the importance of a non-injected T1-weighted spin-echo sequence (T1WSE) combined with a non-echo-planar diffusion-weighted (non-EPDW) sequence for the pre-operative detection of cholesteatoma by the radiologist on MRI, compared to surgery.

Materials And Methods: In this retrospective case review, 113 patients with chronic otitis underwent surgery (gold standard) for a clinical suspicion of cholesteatoma. Our primary outcome was to compare non-EPDW images + a contrast-free T1WSE sequence for cholesteatoma detection.

CT and MRI for the diagnosis of perilymphatic fistula: a study of 17 surgically confirmed patients.

Background: We evaluated the usefulness of CT and MRI for the diagnosis of perilymphatic fistula (PLF) of the round (RW) and/or oval (OW) windows, with surgery as gold standard.

Methods: We retrospectively enrolled 17 patients who presented a surgically confirmed PLF of the round (RW) or oval (OW) windows. All patients were imaged by CT + MRI (T2W SSFP without contrast) prior to surgery (= gold standard).

MRI of endolymphatic hydrops in patients with vestibular schwannomas: a case-controlled study using non-enhanced T2-weighted images at 3 Teslas.

Objective: Vestibular schwannomas (VS) may present with similar symptoms endolymphatic hydrops. Association between hydrops and internal auditory canal VS has been described by Naganawa et al. (Neuroradiology 53:1009-1015, 2011), but has never been confirmed since.