Objective
Gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is useful in assessing inflammatory and neoplastic lesions of the labyrinth and facial nerve. The following cases demonstrate the ability of MRI to differentiate neoplastic from inflammatory lesions within the labyrinth.
Patients or Other Participants
Nine patients were selected with enhancing lesions of the labyrinth and the facial nerve identified on MRI.
Intervention
Acyclovir and prednisone were prescribed for herpes zoster oticus; surgical removal of neoplastic lesions was performed.
Main Outcome Measure
The hypothesis was developed in the course of clinical practice. No planned outcome was emphasized, as this article is based on the differential diagnoses of the cases reported.
Results
Gadolinium-enhanced MRI is useful in differentiating neoplastic from inflammatory lesions within the labyrinth. Axial and coronal 3-mm sections with gadolinium enhancement were necessary for identifying these lesions and particularly for recognizing the sharp enhancement of the neoplastic margin in contrast to the dull cloudy margins of an inflammatory lesion.
Conclusions
The MRI differentiation of these lesions is helpful in providing appropriate medical and surgical management of neoplastic and inflammatory lesions of the labyrinth.
(Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 1994;120:560-564)
