Comparison between air CT and MRI in the detection of small acoustic neurinomas

Air CT proved useful in yielding images of acoustic tumors as an air filling defect in 11 (24%) of 46 patients. Six of the 11 tumors were small ones of less than 1 cm in diameter. Air CT was also able to exclude an intracanalicular tumor in 29 patients (63%). MRI was performed for comparison in eight patients (nine tumors) already diagnosed by air CT as having an acoustic tumor. MRI detected eight (89%) of nine tumors. A false negative result on MRI was obtained only in one intracanalicular tumor (4.3 mm in size). This was considered to be attributable to limitations of spatial resolution including the wide slice thickness. A protocol for radiological investigation and management of patients whose clinical symptoms and/or audiovestibular examination are highly indicative of acoustic tumor is proposed and discussed.