Detection of presumed hemorrhage in the ampullar endolymph of the semicircular canal: a case report

Magn Reson Med Sci. 2009;8(4):187-91. doi: 10.2463/mrms.8.187.

Abstract

We examined a 61-year-old woman with sudden left-side hearing loss accompanied by severe vertigo. High signal in the ampullar endolymph of the left semicircular canal on magnetic resonance (MR) fluid attenuated inversion recovery (3D-FLAIR) images suggested labyrinthine hemorrhage. The patient had been treated for chronic heart failure and prescribed 100 mg/day of acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin) for its antiplatelet effect. The 3D-FLAIR images demonstrated a small amount of focal hemorrhage in the labyrinthine fluid that may have been overlooked on T(1)-weighted images.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aspirin / therapeutic use
  • Chronic Disease
  • Contrast Media
  • Endolymph*
  • Female
  • Functional Laterality
  • Gadolinium DTPA
  • Hearing Loss / etiology
  • Hearing Loss / pathology*
  • Heart Failure / drug therapy
  • Hemorrhage / complications
  • Hemorrhage / pathology*
  • Humans
  • Labyrinth Diseases / complications
  • Labyrinth Diseases / pathology*
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging / methods
  • Middle Aged
  • Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / therapeutic use
  • Semicircular Canals / pathology*
  • Vertigo / etiology
  • Vertigo / pathology*

Substances

  • Contrast Media
  • Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors
  • Gadolinium DTPA
  • Aspirin