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Vestibular atelectasis: Myth or reality?
Michael Eliezer1, Arnaud Attyé1,2, Jean-Pierre Guichard1
1Department of Neuroradiology, Lariboisière University Hospital, Paris, France.
The Laryngoscope
|January 12, 2019
Summary
Vestibular atelectasis (VA) can cause unilateral collapse of the inner ear's superior portion, specifically the utricle and ampullas. Delayed MRI imaging confirms this collapse in patients with vestibular deficit.
Area of Science:
- Otolaryngology
- Neuroimaging
- Vestibular System
Background:
- Vestibular atelectasis (VA) is a condition affecting the inner ear.
- Delayed post-contrast 3D FLAIR MRI sequences can differentiate between the utricle and saccule.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the hypothesis that VA patients exhibit unilateral collapse of the utricle and ampullas on MRI.
- To correlate imaging findings with clinical presentations of vestibular deficit.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of 200 patients undergoing 3T MRI with gadolinium contrast.
- Assessment of MRI scans for VA, defined by non-visualization or poor visualization of the utricle and at least two ampullas.
Main Results:
- Four patients with VA presented with atypical acute vestibular deficit.
- MRI and clinical findings confirmed specific involvement of the pars superior (utricle, ampullas) while sparing the pars inferior (cochlea, saccule).
Conclusions:
- This study is the first to demonstrate in vivo unilateral collapse of the pars superior on delayed postcontrast MRI in patients with unilateral vestibular loss.
- Delayed MRI is a valuable tool for diagnosing VA and understanding its impact on the vestibular system.
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