7-Tesla sodium magnetic resonance imaging of the inner ears in Ménière’s Disease

The endolymphatic space (ES) undergoes hydropic expansion in Ménière’s Disease (MD). It Is hypothesised that the lower sodium (²³Na) concentration in the endolymph relative to the surrounding perilymph would result in a differential reduction in ²³Na-MRI signal in inner ears with endolymphatic hydrops (EH). We explored the ability of 7-Tesla (7T) ²³Na-MRI to lateralise EH ears in unilateral MD. We imaged four patients with unilateral definite MD and severe vestibulo-cochlear EH with an optimised 7T ²³Na sequence . We analysed before and after registering to 3D T2w MRI to qualitatively and quantitatively determine asymmetry and certainty of EH laterality.

The uploaded files include

1)7T ²³Na SSFP images (.nii and .nrrd) reconstructed at single frequencies which are optimised to minimise blurring of the inner ears (3/4 include two different frequencies chosen to best demonstrate the two ears individually whereas the same frequency was chosen for both ears in subject A)

2)T2W 3D SPACE structural images (.nrrd) which were used for fusion and registration with the 7T ²³Na SSFP images.