Correlation between magnetic resonance imaging classification of endolymphatic hydrops and clinical manifestations and audiovestibular test results in patients with definite Ménière's disease

Abstract

Objectives: The purpose was to evaluate magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) classification of endolymphatic hydrops with clinical features, audiological and vestibular tests in patients with definite unilateral Ménière's disease (MD).

Methods: Thirty-eight patients were enrolled in this study. The severity of the main clinical symptoms, audiovestibular tests, and MRI, performed 4 hours after intravenous injection of gadobutrol to visualize inner ear compartments, were evaluated. Endolymphatic space dilatation was assessed using Barath and Bernaerts grading systems, and the correlation between the grade of the hydrops and clinical features was evaluated.

Results: Using the Barath system, cochlear hydrops was visualized in 81.6% of affected ears, while vestibular was 63.2%. Sensitivity increased to 94.7% using Bernaerts' modification. Vestibular hydrops involving the utricle was present only among patients with cochlear and saccular endolymphatic space dilatation. There was a significant relationship between the hearing level and the vestibular hydrops degree in the Bernaerts scale. The grade of the hydrops correlated neither with the duration of MD nor with the severity of main clinical symptoms. Our study proved MRI to be a sensitive diagnostic tool in MD. The endolymphatic hydrops' grade correlates with the hearing level, which confirms endolymphatic space dilatation's role in hearing loss.

Conclusions: In our study, two similar MRI grading systems were used; however, several differences were found compared to one another. The Bernaerts scale was more sensitive than the Barath scale, and several relationships between the radiological and clinical data were found. Therefore, several MRI evaluating scales and correlating them with the clinical features are needed. The increased perilymphatic enhancement of the cochlea and an extra low-grade vestibular hydrops distinguished in the Bernaerts scale may increase MD diagnosis sensitivity. Magnetic resonance findings in MD support the clinical diagnosis and may help to understand MD pathophysiology better. This study adds to the knowledge and diagnostics in MD for healthcare to improve patients' treatment.

Keywords: Endolymphatic hydrops; Hearing loss; Magnetic resonance imaging; Meniere's disease; Vertigo.