Usefulness of the 3D-Fast Spin Echo Method in Severe Sensorineural Hearing Loss in Children

Abstract

The usefulness of the 3D-Fast Spin Echo (3D-FSE) method was evaluated in 13 children suffering from severe sensorineural hearing loss. Six out of the 13 children (7 ears) exhibited anomalies of the cochlear nerve: absence of the cochlear nerve was suspected in 3 patients, hypoplasia of the nerve in 2 patients and an abnormal passway in 1 patient. Although sensorineural hearing loss is commonly caused by stricture of the inner auditory meatus, other anomalies of the inner ear, such as hypoplasia and absence of the cochlear nerve, may cause sensorineural hearing loss. The 3D-FSE was demonstrated to be a valuable test for the diagnosis of sensorineural hearing loss.