Temporal bone MRI with 3D-FIESTA in the evaluation of facial and audiovestibular dysfunction

To evaluate the clinical usefulness of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the temporal bone using three-dimensional fast imaging employing steady-state acquisition (3D-FIESTA) sequences in patients with facial and audiovestibular dysfunction.

We retrospectively reviewed the MR images of 1263 patients who presented with hearing loss (n=429), peripheral facial palsy (n=96), tinnitus (n=341) or vertigo (n=397). There were 605 men and 658 women, with a mean age of 46.97±16.95 (SD) years (range: 2-83 years). Positive MRI findings that were responsible for clinical manifestations in individual patients were categorized according to the anatomic sites and etiologies of the lesions.

Positive MRI findings possibly responsible for clinical manifestations were found in 232/1263 (18.37%) patients, including 86/429 (20.05%) patients with hearing loss, 21/96 (21.88%) patients with facial palsy, 62/341 (18.18%) patients with tinnitus, and 63/397 (15.87%) patients with vertigo.

Although the use of MRI of the temporal bone using 3D-FIESTA shows positive findings in only 18.37% of patients, it provides important information in those with facial and audiovestibular dysfunction. However, for patients with normal MRI of the temporal bone, other etiological factors should be investigated in order to clarify or elucidate the cause of clinical manifestations.