Head and Neck ImagingSudden hearing loss
sensorineural hearing loss of at least 30 dB, occurring over a maximum of 24 - 72 hours. Sudden hearing loss may be induced by several causes, including viral or immune-related
labyrinthitis,
trauma,
Mnieres disease,
vascular problems, intralabyrinthine bleeding (see
cochlea (VI:2), Fig. 2) neoplastic disease,
multiple sclerosis,
perilymphatic fistula and
syphilis. In most cases, the cause remains unknown.
However, reaching a specific diagnosis is important, as in some aetiologies early treatment may be beneficial. Gadolinium-enhanced MRI of the temporal bones is useful to exclude acoustic schwannoma and detect inflammatory disease of the labyrinth.
RH