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Four-Hour Delayed Gadolinium-Enhanced 3D-FLAIR MR Imaging Highlights Intralabyrinthine Micro-Schwannomas
Natsuko Kurata1, Yoshiyuki Kawashima, Taku Ito
1Department of Otolaryngology, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan.
Objective:
To demonstrate the clinical significance of 4-hour delayed gadolinium-enhanced three-dimensional fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (delayed 3D-FLAIR) in patients with intralabyrinthine schwannoma (ILS).
Patients:
Three patients who were clinically diagnosed with ILS.
Interventions:
All patients underwent audiological examinations and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. The MR-protocol included axial MR cisternography, immediate gadolinium-enhanced T1-weighted sequence, and heavily T2-weighted 3D-FLAIR prior to and 4 hours after the intravenous administration of gadolinium contrast medium.
Main Outcome Measures:
All MR images were visually inspected.
Results:
In all three patients with ILS, delayed 3D-FLAIR MRI demonstrated a strong signal of cochlear fluid surrounding the tumor, which highlighted a tumor region that lacked signals.
Conclusions:
Delayed 3D-FLAIR MRI may serve as a novel diagnostic tool for the early detection of intralabyrinthine micro-schwannoma. The findings also shed light on the pathophysiology of ILS.
