A systematic review on the imaging findings in auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder

The present systematic review examined imaging findings in the Auditory Neuropathy Spectrum Disorder (ANSD) population.

Electronic databases such as Pub Med, Google Scholar, J Gate, and Science Direct were used to conduct a literature search. The articles retrieved through the literature search were assessed in two stages. In the first stage, title and abstract screening were done; in the second stage, a full-length article review was done. From the 379 shortlisted records, 19 articles were chosen for the full-length review.

The selected articles performed imaging using Computerized tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). In most studies, cochlear nerve deficiency (CND) was the most prevalent anomaly in the ANSD group. Also, MRI was the imaging modality of choice recommended in most studies. It was also noted that CND was a characteristic feature of unilateral ANSD.

From this systematic review, it is clear that integrating imaging studies into diagnostic protocol would help to understand the underlying pathology better and expedite decision-making and intervention for ANSD patients.