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Updated: Mar 24, 2026
10:27
In Vivo Morphometric Analysis of Human Cranial Nerves Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Menière's Disease Ears and Normal Hearing Ears
Published on: February 21, 2018
11.2K
Vestibular Aqueduct Grading: A Risk Indicator for Progression From Low-Frequency Sensorineural Hearing Loss to
Linglan Gu1,2, Qianru Wu1,2, Rujian Hong3
1ENT institute and Department of Otolaryngology, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University.
Summary
High-resolution MRI reveals that a grade 2 vestibular aqueduct (VA) significantly increases the risk of developing endolymphatic hydrops (EH) and Ménière disease (MD) in patients with acute low-frequency sensorineural hearing loss (ALHL). This imaging finding can help predict disease progression.
Area of Science:
- Otolaryngology
- Radiology
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Ménière disease (MD) is a complex inner ear disorder.
- Acute low-frequency sensorineural hearing loss (ALHL) can be an early sign of MD.
- Vestibular aqueduct (VA) morphology is implicated in MD pathogenesis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if high-resolution MRI-assessed VA morphology predicts the risk of developing MD in patients with ALHL.
- To determine the association between VA morphology and endolymphatic hydrops (EH) in ALHL patients.
- To evaluate the progression of ALHL to MD based on VA characteristics.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective cohort study of 135 adults (ALHL, MD, controls).
- High-resolution MRI (0.6 mm T2-SPACE, 3D-real inversion-recovery) used for VA grading (0-2) and EH detection.
- Analysis of VA grade distribution, EH risk associated with grade 2 VA, and ALHL to MD progression.
Main Results:
- VA grading differed significantly between MD and control groups, and ALHL and control groups.
- Grade 2 VA conferred a 5.1-fold increased risk of EH.
- 10.45% of ALHL patients progressed to MD, exclusively in the EH subgroup, with 85.7% of progressions in grade 2 VA patients.
Conclusions:
- Grade 2 VA is strongly associated with EH and identifies ALHL patients at increased risk of progressing to MD.
- VA non-visualization on MRI may serve as an early imaging biomarker for risk stratification.
- High-resolution MRI assessment of VA morphology is crucial for predicting MD development in ALHL.
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