Endolymphatic hydrops and therapeutic effects are visualized in 'atypical' Meniere's disease

Acta Otolaryngol. 2009 Nov;129(11):1326-9. doi: 10.3109/00016480802593513.

Abstract

A 53-year-old male with fluctuating low frequency sensorineural hearing loss and tinnitus, but without vertigo, was evaluated by MRI obtained by intratympanic injection of a gadolinium-based contrast agent (GBCA) before and after the administration of isosorbide. The endolymphatic hydrops was semi-quantitatively evaluated by a 3.0-T MR scanner. For quantification, the affected side/contralateral side ratios were calculated. A gadodiamide (a kind of GBCA)-enhanced space surrounding the endolymph in the affected side with a 0.50 ratio (which may have represented endolymphatic hydrops) improved after isosorbide therapy to a 0.98 ratio. Thus, endolymphatic hydrops was demonstrated in a patient with 'atypical' Meniere's disease (MD), suggesting that at least some atypical MD may share similar etiology with, and therefore be a continuum of, MD. Also, therapeutic effects could be visualized by using MRI. Therefore, MRI-based diagnosis of MD-related disease will be a powerful tool not only because of its precision but also its usefulness for therapeutic evaluation.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents / administration & dosage
  • Contrast Media / administration & dosage
  • Diuretics, Osmotic / administration & dosage
  • Drug Therapy, Combination
  • Endolymph / drug effects
  • Endolymphatic Hydrops / diagnosis*
  • Endolymphatic Hydrops / drug therapy*
  • Gadolinium DTPA
  • Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / etiology
  • Humans
  • Hydrocortisone / administration & dosage
  • Hydrocortisone / analogs & derivatives
  • Image Enhancement*
  • Image Processing, Computer-Assisted*
  • Isosorbide / administration & dosage
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging*
  • Male
  • Meniere Disease / diagnosis*
  • Meniere Disease / drug therapy*
  • Middle Aged
  • Perilymph / drug effects
  • Tinnitus / etiology

Substances

  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents
  • Contrast Media
  • Diuretics, Osmotic
  • gadodiamide
  • Gadolinium DTPA
  • hydrocortisone hemisuccinate
  • Hydrocortisone
  • Isosorbide