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Updated: Jun 25, 2026
In Vivo Morphometric Analysis of Human Cranial Nerves Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Menière's Disease Ears and Normal Hearing Ears
Published on: February 21, 2018
Visualization of inner ear disorders with MRI in vivo: from animal models to human application
Jing Zou1, Dennis Poe, Bolje Bjelke
1Department of Otolaryngology, University of Tampere Medical School, Tampere, Finland. Jing.Zou@uta.fi
Conclusion:
The inner ear membranous permeability and leakiness and endolymphatic hydrops can be visualized using gadolinium-enhanced MRI in both rodents and man. Intratympanic administration of contrast agent gives greater perilymphatic loading of gadolinium.
Objectives:
Visualization of different types of inner ear dysfunction in MRI with intravenous or intratympanic administration of contrast agent.
Materials And Methods:
In the animal study, gadolinium was administered intravenously or intratympanically and imaged with 4.7 T MRI. In man, gadolinium was delivered intratympanically and studied with 1.5 T or 3 T MRI.
Results:
In the animals, intravenous delivery of gadolinium demonstrated uptake in the perilymph of normal inner ears. The cochlear modiolus appeared to be a critical site for the secretion of perilymph and the location of fluid communication between the perilymphatic scalae. Intense noise exposure and immune reaction caused cochlear injury and accelerated gadolinium passage through the blood-perilymph and blood-endolymph barriers. In man, perilymphatic uptake of gadolinium was only observed in the impaired inner ear when administered intravenously. However, the signal-to-noise ratio of images was improved when gadolinium was delivered intratympanically. MRI demonstrated endolymphatic hydrops in both animal models and patients with Meniere's disease.
Insights
Gadolinium-enhanced MRI effectively visualizes inner ear dysfunction and endolymphatic hydrops in rodents and humans. Intratympanic contrast administration improves imaging of the inner ear fluid spaces.
Area of Science:
- Medical Imaging
- Otolaryngology
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Inner ear dysfunction, including endolymphatic hydrops, presents diagnostic challenges.
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) offers potential for visualizing inner ear structures and fluid dynamics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To visualize inner ear dysfunction using gadolinium-enhanced MRI.
- To compare intravenous and intratympanic contrast agent administration for inner ear imaging.
- To assess the utility of MRI in visualizing membranous permeability, leakiness, and endolymphatic hydrops.
Main Methods:
- Gadolinium contrast agent administered intravenously or intratympanically in rodent models (4.7 T MRI).
- Gadolinium contrast agent administered intratympanically in human subjects (1.5 T or 3 T MRI).
- Evaluation of contrast agent uptake in perilymph and endolymph, and visualization of endolymphatic hydrops.
Main Results:
- Intravenous gadolinium showed perilymph uptake in normal rodent inner ears, highlighting the cochlear modiolus.
- Inner ear injury (noise, immune reaction) accelerated gadolinium passage across barriers.
- In humans, intravenous gadolinium showed perilymph uptake only in impaired ears; intratympanic administration improved image quality.
- MRI visualized endolymphatic hydrops in animal models and Meniere's disease patients.
Conclusions:
- Gadolinium-enhanced MRI can visualize inner ear membranous permeability, leakiness, and endolymphatic hydrops in both rodents and humans.
- Intratympanic contrast administration leads to greater perilymphatic gadolinium loading and improved imaging.
- This technique holds promise for diagnosing and understanding inner ear disorders.
