Citation

BibTex format

@article{Connor:2025:10.1186/s12880-025-01986-6,
author = {Connor, S and Lally, P and Pai, I and Brnawi, H and Touska, P and Ourselin, S and Hajnal, JV},
doi = {10.1186/s12880-025-01986-6},
journal = {BMC Medical Imaging},
title = {7-Tesla sodium magnetic resonance imaging of the inner ears in unilateral Ménière’s disease and endolymphatic hydrops: an exploratory study},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12880-025-01986-6},
volume = {25},
year = {2025}
}

RIS format (EndNote, RefMan)

TY  - JOUR
AB - BackgroundWhilst delayed post-gadolinium MRI has led to a shift in the diagnostic paradigm of Meniere’s Disease (MD), there remains a strong desire to develop a non-contrast enhanced MRI technique to detect and monitor MD. The endolymphatic space (ES) undergoes hydropic expansion in Ménière’s Disease (MD) and the concentration of sodium ions in the endolymph is at least 10 times lower than that in the perilymph. It was hypothesised that the lower sodium (23Na) concentration in the endolymph relative to the surrounding perilymph would result in a differential reduction in 23Na-MRI signal in inner ears with endolymphatic hydrops (EH). This proof of principle study explored the feasibility of 7-Tesla (7T) 23Na-MRI to lateralise EH ears in unilateral MD.MethodsIn this prospective study, 7T 23Na-MRI was performed in participants with both unilateral definite MD and severe vestibulo-cochlear EH on a delayed post-gadolinium real inversion recovery sequence. Two blinded independent observers qualitatively graded the visibility and anatomical compatibility of inner ear 23Na MRI signal intensity (NaSI), before and after registering to 3D T2-weighted (T2w) MRI and determined the certainty of EH laterality. The internal auditory meatus (IAM), cochlea and vestibule were segmented using 3D Slicer and NaSI was quantified. Inner ear median NaSI were scaled to the adjacent IAM median NaSI and compared between the two ears.ResultsIn 4 unilateral MD participants (mean age 60.3 years, 2 men), both observers correctly predicted EH laterality in 1/4 before and 3/4 participants after fusion to 3D T2w MRI. There was no incorrect lateralisation of EH by either observer, either before or after registration and fusion. In the 3 participants correctly lateralised, quantitative analysis revealed the median inner ear NaSI scaled to the ipsilateral IAM was 1.2–2.8 times higher in the normal cochlea and 1.9–2.9 times higher in the vestibule, compared to
AU - Connor,S
AU - Lally,P
AU - Pai,I
AU - Brnawi,H
AU - Touska,P
AU - Ourselin,S
AU - Hajnal,JV
DO - 10.1186/s12880-025-01986-6
PY - 2025///
SN - 1471-2342
TI - 7-Tesla sodium magnetic resonance imaging of the inner ears in unilateral Ménière’s disease and endolymphatic hydrops: an exploratory study
T2 - BMC Medical Imaging
UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12880-025-01986-6
UR - https://doi.org/10.1186/s12880-025-01986-6
VL - 25
ER -

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For enquiries about the MRI Physics Collective, please contact:

Mary Finnegan
Senior MR Physicist at the Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust

Pete Lally
Assistant Professor in Magnetic Resonance (MR) Physics at Imperial College

Jan Sedlacik
MR Physicist at the Robert Steiner MR Unit, Hammersmith Hospital Campus