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J Neuroimaging 2022 May 20;32(3):400-411. Epub 2022 Mar 20.

Edward B. Singleton Department of Radiology, Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas, USA.

Tinnitus is defined as the perception of sound without an external source and can be categorized as either pulsatile or nonpulsatile (ie, continuous). A variety of etiologies have been reported to cause pediatric tinnitus, many with long-lasting implications due to hearing and concentration impairments. Therefore, imaging can be an essential part of the accurate and timely diagnosis of treatable etiologies. Read More

Audiol Neurootol 2022 29;27(3):249-259. Epub 2021 Dec 29.

Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.

Objectives: Hypothesized causes of vestibular neuritis/labyrinthitis include neuroinflammatory or vascular disorders, yet vascular disorders of the inner ear are poorly understood. Guided by known microvascular diseases of the retina, we developed 2 hypotheses: (1) there exist vascular vulnerabilities of artery channels in cases of hypothetical nerve swelling for the superior, inferior, and vestibulocochlear artery and (2) there are arteriovenous crossings that could compromise vascular flow in disease states.

Methods: Two fully mounted and stained temporal bones were used to render three-dimensional reconstructions of the labyrinth blood supply. Read More

Curr Opin Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2021 Oct;29(5):349-356

Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.

Purpose Of Review: Literature on the use of current magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for patients with idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (ISSNHL) is reviewed, emphasizing the role of three-dimensional fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (3D-FLAIR) MRI. The discussion focuses on the diagnostic role of temporal bone MRI using 3D-FLAIR and the relationship between MRI findings, clinical symptoms, and hearing outcome.

Recent Findings: The currently suggested MRI protocol for SSNHL includes a 3D T2-weighted steady-state free procession sequence or its equivalent, pre and postcontrast T1-weighted, and pre and postcontrast 3D-FLAIR sequences. Read More

Otol Neurotol 2021 10;42(9):e1396-e1401

Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, Marchioninistr. 15.

Hypothesis: The ability of JWH-133, an agonist at the cannabinoid receptor 2, to abrogate the effects of lipopolysaccharide on cochlear microcirculation was investigated.

Background: Cochlear inflammation and subsequent impairment of microcirculation is part of numerous pathologies affecting inner ear function, including suppurative labyrinthitis, noise trauma, and sudden sensorineural hearing loss. One way of causing cochlear inflammation is exposing the cochlea to lipopolysaccharide, a bacterial endotoxin. Read More

Otol Neurotol 2021 10;42(9):1422-1428

Department of Otolaryngology, Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, Manhasset, New York.

Hypothesis: Autoimmune inner ear disease (AIED) patients will differentially express interleukin (IL)-6 based on corticosteroid responsiveness.

Background: AIED is characterized by periods of acute sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL). In a majority of patients corticosteroid responsiveness is lost over time. Read More

Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol 2021 Nov 3;130(11):1213-1219. Epub 2021 Apr 3.

Department of Otolaryngology, The University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA.

Objective: To describe a case of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) resulting in reversible horizontal semicircular canalith jam successfully treated with horizontal canal occlusion. A brief literature review of similar cases was performed.

Methods: Case report and literature review. Read More

Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 2021 Aug 23;278(8):2703-2712. Epub 2020 Nov 23.

Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Katholisches Klinikum, Ruhr University Bochum, Bleichstr. 15, 44787, Bochum, Germany.

Objectives: Even 250 years after Beethoven's birth, the irrevocable cause of his hearing impairment remains unclear despite multiple publications by different professional groups. This study aimed to analyse the development of the most likely aetiologies during the last 100 years by a systematic review of the relevant medical literature.

Methods: A systematic review of medical literature in PubMed, PubMed Central, and Web of Science for the period 1920-2020 was conducted. Read More

J Radiol Case Rep 2020 May 31;14(5):1-6. Epub 2020 May 31.

Department of Radiology, University of Louisville Hospital, Kentucky, USA.

Labyrinthitis most commonly results from an infectious and less commonly from an inflammatory process of the inner ear, but it can be associated with temporal bone trauma, hemorrhage, or tumor. This inflammation (regardless of the etiology) disrupts the transmission of sensory information from the ear to the brain. Labyrinthitis ossificans is the pathological ossification of the membranous labyrinthine spaces in response to an insult to the inner ear involving membranous labyrinth or the endosteum of the otic capsule. Read More

Acta Otolaryngol 2021 Jan 19;141(1):73-77. Epub 2020 Oct 19.

Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shandong Provincial ENT Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, P.R. China.

Background: Three semicircular canal plugging (TSCP) is an optimized treatment for intractable Meniere's disease (MD). However, 20-30% of patients experience hearing loss after TSCP, for reasons that remain unclear.

Objective: To evaluate hearing loss resulting from TSCP. Read More

Otol Neurotol 2021 01;42(1):e101-e106

ENT Unit, Department of Surgery, Azienda USL - IRCCS di Reggio Emilia.

Objective: To describe a rare case of pneumolabyrinth (PNL) and pneumocephalus (PNC) due to otogenic meningitis in a patient with superior canal dehiscence (SCD) resulting in profound sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL), semicircular canals impairment but preservation of SCD-related enhanced otolith function.

Patient: A 65-year-old woman with otogenic meningitis.

Intervention: Temporal bone high-resolution computed tomography (CT) scans, brain-magnetic resonance imaging, audiometry, bedside examination, video-head impulse test, and vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials (VEMPs). Read More

Otol Neurotol 2020 12;41(10):1379-1386

Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and safety of transcanal underwater endoscopic bone resection (TUEBR) of the external auditory canal (EAC) for the management of cholesteatoma involving the antrum and mastoid.

Study Design: Retrospective case review.

Setting: Tertiary referral center. Read More

J Audiol Otol 2020 Oct 16;24(4):198-203. Epub 2020 Sep 16.

Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Samsung Medical Center, School of Medicine, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul, Korea.

Background And Objectives: We sought to evaluate the diagnostic and prognostic value of measurable parameters of internal auditory canal (IAC) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (ISSNHL).

Subjects And Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the patients with ISSNHL who underwent IAC MRI from January 2008 to March 2019. Measurable parameters of IAC MRI, such as the diameter of the IAC, bony cochlear nerve canal, and cross-sectional area of the cochlear nerve, were measured by a single examiner. Read More

Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2021 01 30;164(1):175-181. Epub 2020 Jun 30.

Department of Otolaryngology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.

Objective: Labyrinthitis ossificans (LO) may occur following meningitis and, in cases where cochlear implantation is indicated, complicate electrode insertion. LO is critical to identify for successful cochlear implantation, and histopathology is more sensitive than imaging for identification of LO. Herein we utilize otopathologic techniques to study the timing and location of intracochlear tissue formation following meningitic labyrinthitis (ML). Read More

Ear Nose Throat J 2021 Jun 24;100(3_suppl):325S-332S. Epub 2020 Jun 24.

Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, University of Witten/Herdecke, 39778Catholic Hospital Hagen gGmbH, Hagen, Germany.

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of inner ear involvement in various forms of acute otitis media (AOM) in ear, nose, and throat (ENT) practices in Germany.

Methods: Patients who had been diagnosed with various forms of AOM in the years 2010 to 2017 were enrolled in the study from a nationwide, representative practice database (Disease Analyzer, IQVIA). In these patients, the incidence of simultaneous or subsequent inner ear disorders (IED) was determined within 7 days and within 12 months from the date of an AOM diagnosis. Read More

Otol Neurotol 2020 07;41(6):e695-e699

The Sydney Cochlear Implant Centre, Gladesville, NSW.

Objectives: To assess the effect on impedance levels of intraoperative reinsertion of a cochlear implant (CI) array compared with matched controls.

Study Design: Retrospective patient review.

Setting: Cochlear implant center. Read More

Am J Emerg Med 2020 09 16;38(9):1969.e1-1969.e3. Epub 2020 May 16.

Lebanese American University, LAUMC-RH, Beirut, Lebanon. Electronic address:

Pityriasis Rosea (PR) and labyrinthitis are most commonly caused by viral infections. PR presents with a characteristic rash while labyrinthitis presents with vertigo, tinnitus and hearing loss. However, the coexistence of PR and Labyrinthitis remains an uncommon event. Read More

Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol 2020 Aug 24;135:110067. Epub 2020 Apr 24.

ENT Department, Hôpital Necker-Enfants Malades, AP-HP, 149 Rue de Sèvres, 75015, Paris, France; Université de Paris, Paris, France.

Objectives: Sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) is relatively rare and its physiopathology remains unclear, particularly in children. Our goal was to evaluate clinical characteristics, etiologies, management, treatment outcomes and prognostic factors in the pediatric population.

Methods: We performed a retrospective chart review of all children registered for SSNHL between August 2004 and September 2017 in a tertiary care pediatric hospital. Read More

Radiologia (Engl Ed) 2020 Sep - Oct;62(5):376-383. Epub 2020 Feb 20.

Departamento de Radiología, Hospital Povisa, Vigo, Pontevedra, España.

Objective: To evaluate the added value of administering intravenous contrast (IVC) routinely to the MRI of patients with audiovestibular symptoms in the assessment of a neuroradiologist and a resident.

Materials And Methods: Retrospective study including patients who had an inner ear MRI for two months. Two radiologists reviewed independently and blinded the images. Read More

J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2020 Feb 5;49(1). Epub 2020 Feb 5.

Department of Otolaryngology and Communication Enhancement, Boston Children's Hospital, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.

Background: Vestibular symptoms such as vertigo and imbalance are known to occur in some cochlear implant patients during the immediate postoperative period; however, acute vertigo in implanted children occurring remotely from the postoperative period has not been previously well-described.

Case Presentation: A three-year-old girl with a history of bilateral sequential cochlear implantation presented with acute labyrinthitis associated with sudden onset of vertigo, balance impairment, and decline in right cochlear implant function 2 years after her most recent implant surgery. We describe her audiological and vestibular testing results during both the acute phase and following medical management and recovery. Read More

Cureus 2019 Dec 3;11(12):e6279. Epub 2019 Dec 3.

Otolaryngology, Neurotology and Skull Base Surgery, King Saud University, Riyadh, SAU.

Background The selection of an appropriate imaging technique for assessment before cochlear implantation is critical for precise diagnosis and management. While magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is used for the diagnosis of several conditions, such as labyrinthitis ossificans, cochlear nerve deficiency, and neoplasms, high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) provides excellent details of the temporal bone. However, it remains unclear whether routine MRI provides any additional benefits over HRCT. Read More

Clin Otolaryngol 2019 11 2;44(6):1017-1025. Epub 2019 Oct 2.

BC Rotary Hearing and Balance Centre at St. Paul's Hospital, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.

Background: The underlying pathophysiology of idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (ISSNHL) is still unknown. However, an increasing number of observational studies report intralabyrinthine signal alterations in patients with ISSNHL using three-dimensional fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (3D-FLAIR) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). These findings warrant a meta-analysis. Read More

Neuroradiology 2019 Sep 18;61(9):959-970. Epub 2019 Jul 18.

Radiology Department, Great Ormond Street Hospital, London, UK.

Purpose: Understanding the underlying pathophysiology and the patterns of disease spread is crucial in accurate image interpretation. In this pictorial review, the common and important inflammatory processes of the temporal bone in children will be discussed, and key computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features described.

Methods: Inflammatory processes are categorized by anatomical location: the petrous apex and the inner, middle and outer ear. Read More

Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2019 10 7;161(4):658-665. Epub 2019 May 7.

Department of Otolaryngology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.

Objective: Human otopathology following drill-out procedures for cochlear implantation (CI) in cases with labyrinthitis ossificans (LO) has not been previously described. This study uses the high sensitivity of histopathology to (1) evaluate surgical drill-out technique with associated intracochlear findings and (2) quantify spiral ganglion neuron populations in a series of patients with LO who underwent CI.

Study Design: Retrospective otopathology study. Read More

Cell Host Microbe 2019 Apr 21;25(4):513-525.e6. Epub 2019 Mar 21.

Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea; Airway Mucus Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea. Electronic address:

In the inner ear, endolymph fluid surrounds the organ of Corti, which is important for auditory function; notably, even slight environmental changes mediated by trauma or infection can have significant consequences. However, it is unclear how the immune response is modulated in these tissues. Here, we report the local immune surveillance role of cleaved cochlin LCCL (Limulus factor C, Cochlin, and Lgl1) during Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection in the cochlea. Read More

Otol Neurotol 2019 04;40(4):e393-e398

Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Konkuk University Medical Center, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.

Objective: To demonstrate characteristic nystagmus findings in acute otitis media (AOM) complicated by serous labyrinthitis and discuss the mechanism of direction-changing positional nystagmus (DCPN) in this condition.

Patients: A patient with AOM complicated by serous labyrinthitis on the left side.

Intervention: Video nystagmography and 3D fluid attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Read More

J Int Adv Otol 2019 Apr;15(1):156-159

Department of Otolaryngology, University of Pavia, IRCCS Policlinico "S. Matteo" Foundation, Pavia, Italy.

Polyarteritis nodosa (PAN) is a systemic vasculitis affecting the small- and medium-sized arteries that may present with hearing impairment. In rare cases, PAN may be associated with progressive labyrinthitis ossificans (LO), an otologic emergency requiring early cochlear implantation (CI) to restore hearing before the complete, irreversible cochlear ossification. We report the first case in the literature of a patient affected by PAN with bilateral sudden sensorineural hearing loss and rapid LO who underwent "emergency" bilateral simultaneous CI. Read More

Cochlear Implants Int 2019 01 20;20(1):47-50. Epub 2018 Sep 20.

a Department of Otorhinolaryngology , SMS Medical College and Hospitals , Jaipur , India.

Introduction: Beta-thalassemias are a group of hereditary blood disorders characterized by anomalies in the synthesis of the beta chains of hemoglobin. Iron overload occurs in thalassemia, with blood transfusion therapy being the major cause. Deferoxamine continues to be the mainstay of therapy to remove excess iron in patients requiring long-term transfusions. Read More

Diagn Interv Imaging 2018 Nov 13;99(11):679-687. Epub 2018 Sep 13.

Department of Neuroradiology, Lariboisière University Hospital, 75010 Paris, France. Electronic address:

Purpose: To report the postoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features after superior semicircular canal plugging in patients with Minor syndrome.

Materials And Methods: The MRI examinations with 3D T2-weighted SPACE sequence of 12 patients with superior semicircular canal dehiscence syndrome (SCDS) were retrospectively assessed. Two radiologists independently evaluated the presence of a filling defect of the superior semicircular canal above the superior ampulla and the common crus using an oblique plane parallel to the superior semicircular canal (Pöschl's plane). Read More

Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol 2018 Oct 24;113:102-109. Epub 2018 Jul 24.

Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Hannover Medical University, Carl-Neuberg-Straße 1, 30625, Hannover, Germany; German Hearing Center, Hannover Medical University, Karl-Wiechert-Allee 3, 30625, Hannover, Germany.

Objectives: Bacterial meningitis can cause a labyrinthitis. Consequences often are intracochlear soft tissue neoformation (cochlear obliteration) or intracochlear osteoneogenesis (cochlear ossification) and deafness. Cochlear implantation becomes challenging and hearing rehabilitation is complicated. Read More