Positron emission tomography in cochlear implant and auditory brainstem implant recipients

Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging was used to evaluate the brain's response to auditory stimulation, including speech. Five cases of adults illustrate the utility of PET to illuminate auditory processing with cochlear or brainstem implants. Subjects showed varying degrees of success in processing speech, which was reflected in the resulting PET images. Functional speech processing was associated with activation in areas classically associated with speech processing. In one patient who did not achieve functional speech processing, activation in frontal regions suggests that the subject used other cognitive strategies to assist auditory processing.

As a result of this activity, the participant will be introduced to the principles of PET and the application of this technology to deaf patients who have received an implanted auditory prosthesis.