Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging of acquired abnormalities of the inner ear and cerebello-pontine angle

• Published in: Radiologe 2003-03, Vol.43 (3), p.213-218
• Main Authors: Grampp, S, Czerny, C, Henk, C B, Gstöttner, W, Imhof, H
• Format: Article
• Language: ger
• Subjects: Cerebellar Neoplasms - diagnosis; Cerebellar Neoplasms - diagnostic imaging; Cerebellopontine Angle; Cholesteatoma - diagnosis; Cholesteatoma - diagnostic imaging; Diagnosis, Differential; Ear Neoplasms - diagnosis; Ear Neoplasms - diagnostic imaging; Ear, Inner - injuries; Epidermal Cyst - diagnosis; Epidermal Cyst - diagnostic imaging; Humans; Labyrinth Diseases - diagnosis; Labyrinth Diseases - diagnostic imaging; Labyrinthitis - diagnosis; Labyrinthitis - diagnostic imaging; Magnetic Resonance Imaging - methods; Meningioma - diagnosis; Meningioma - diagnostic imaging; Neurilemmoma - diagnosis; Neurilemmoma - diagnostic imaging; Otosclerosis - diagnosis; Otosclerosis - diagnostic imaging; Paraganglioma - diagnosis; Paraganglioma - diagnostic imaging; Skull Fractures - diagnosis; Skull Fractures - diagnostic imaging; Temporal Bone - injuries; Tomography, Spiral Computed; Tomography, X-Ray Computed - methods
• ISSN: 0033-832X
• DOI: 10.1007/s00117-003-0872-0

CT and MRI of acquired abnormalities of the inner ear and cerebello-pontine angle present themselves with very typical findings. The imaging should be adapted to the pathology looked for and either CT or MRI should be used alone or in combination. CT, especially high resolution CT (HRCT), provides an excellent bone contrast, while MRI has a much superior soft tissue contrast. Acute inflammatory changes of the inner ear are solely depicted by contrast-enhanced MRI. HRCT excellently depicts osseous changes of the inner ear and cerebellopontine angle such as chronic ossifying labyrinthitis occurring after acute labyrinthitis, otosclerotic or traumatic changes. Tumorous changes not yielding to bony changes are best delineated by MRI. Posttraumatic hemorrhage and chronic fibrotic changes within the labyrinth are depicted by MRI, only. In conclusion HRCT and MRI are excellent methods to delineate acquired abnormalities of the inner ear and cerebello-pontine angle. HRCT best depicts osseous changes while MRI best depicts soft tissue changes. HRCT and MRI are not concurrent methods but should better be used as complementary methods for imaging acquired abnormalities of inner ear and cerebellopontine angle.