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A Unified Methodological Framework for Vestibular Schwannoma Research
08:43

A Unified Methodological Framework for Vestibular Schwannoma Research

Published on: June 20, 2017

Increased cochlear fluid-attenuated inversion recovery signal in patients with vestibular schwannoma

R A Bhadelia1, K L Tedesco, S Hwang

  • 1Tufts-New England Medical Center and Tufts University, Boston, MA 02215, USA. rbhadeli@bidmc.harvard.edu

AJNR. American Journal of Neuroradiology
|February 2, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Patients with vestibular schwannoma show increased cochlear signal intensity on MRI scans. This finding may help in diagnosing vestibular schwannoma using FLAIR imaging.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroimaging
  • Otolaryngology
  • Radiology

Background:

  • Vestibular schwannoma is associated with elevated protein levels in perilymph.
  • Fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) MRI is sensitive to high protein concentrations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine if cochlear FLAIR signal intensity is increased on the affected side in patients with unilateral vestibular schwannoma.
  • To compare cochlear FLAIR signal intensity between affected and unaffected sides, and with control subjects.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective evaluation of 15 patients with vestibular schwannoma and 25 controls.
  • Analysis of 5-mm FLAIR, T1, and T2-weighted brain MRI scans.
  • Calculation of cochlear-to-brainstem intensity ratio (CIBI) on FLAIR images.

Main Results:

  • The mean CIBI ratio was significantly higher on the affected side (0.89 ± 0.18) compared to the unaffected side (0.57 ± 0.12) in patients.
  • The affected side CIBI ratio was also significantly higher than in control subjects (0.51 ± 0.07).
  • P < .001 for all comparisons.

Conclusions:

  • Patients with vestibular schwannoma exhibit increased cochlear FLAIR signal intensity on the affected side.
  • This suggests FLAIR imaging can detect abnormalities related to vestibular schwannoma.
Abstract

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