The Correlation of Clinical Features and Endolymphatic Hydrops Visualized by 3D-Real IR MRI in Children With Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss

Objectives: To investigate the correlation between clinical features and endolymphatic hydrops (EH) in children with sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL). Methods: We collected 30 SSNHL children aged ≤17 years old, all of whom underwent intravenous gadolinium injection. After 4 hours, inner ear 3-dimensional inversion recovery sequence with real reconstruction (3D-real IR) magnetic resonance imaging was performed. Combined with their medical history such as gender, age, disease course, hearing loss, and so on, the results were analyzed. Results: Different degrees of EH were shown in the vestibule or different turns of cochlea in the affected ears of SSNHL children, and 12 (40%) of 30 children showed positive EH. Age, low and middle frequency hearing loss, and other clinical symptoms such as dizziness and ear fullness have been shown to be related to a certain degree of EH in vestibule or cochlea, whereas no relationship was found between EH and other clinical features such as high-frequency hearing loss, gender, affected side, and tinnitus. Conclusions: Endolymphatic hydrops may not reflect the trend of disease progression over time in children with SSNHL, but the age of onset may be an important factor in the presence or absence of EH. Endolymphatic hydrops may be one of the causes of dizziness and ear fullness but has no obvious connection with the occurrence of tinnitus. Older SSNHL children with dizziness and ear fullness should maintain long-term follow-up to dynamically monitor the changes in EH.