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Dieterich M, Hergenroeder T, Boegle R, Gerb J, Kierig E, Stöcklein S, Kirsch V. Endolymphatic space is age-dependent. J Neurol 2023; 270:71-81. [PMID: 36197569 PMCID: PMC9813103 DOI: 10.1007/s00415-022-11400-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2022] [Revised: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Knowledge of the physiological endolymphatic space (ELS) is necessary to estimate endolymphatic hydrops (ELH) in patients with vestibulocochlear syndromes. Therefore, the current study investigated age-dependent changes in the ELS of participants with normal vestibulocochlear testing. Sixty-four ears of 32 participants with normal vestibulocochlear testing aged between 21 and 75 years (45.8 ± 17.2 years, 20 females, 30 right-handed, two left-handed) were examined by intravenous delayed gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging of the inner ear (iMRI). Clinical diagnostics included neuro-otological assessment, video-oculography during caloric stimulation, and head-impulse test. iMRI data analysis provided semi-quantitative visual grading and automatic algorithmic quantitative segmentation of ELS volume (3D, mm3) using a deep learning-based segmentation of the inner ear's total fluid space (TFS) and volumetric local thresholding, as described earlier. As a result, following a 4-point ordinal scale, a mild ELH (grade 1) was found in 21/64 (32.8%) ears uni- or bilaterally in either cochlear, vestibulum, or both. Age and ELS were found to be positively correlated for the inner ear (r(64) = 0.33, p < 0.01), and vestibulum (r(64) = 0.25, p < 0.05). For the cochlea, the values correlated positively without reaching significance (r(64) = 0.21). In conclusion, age-dependent increases of the ELS should be considered when evaluating potential ELH in single subjects and statistical group comparisons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marianne Dieterich
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany.,German Center for Vertigo and Balance Disorders-IFB, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany.,Graduate School of Systemic Neuroscience (GSN), Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany.,Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SyNergy), Munich, Germany
| | - Tatjana Hergenroeder
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany
| | - Rainer Boegle
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany.,German Center for Vertigo and Balance Disorders-IFB, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany.,Graduate School of Systemic Neuroscience (GSN), Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany
| | - Johannes Gerb
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany.,German Center for Vertigo and Balance Disorders-IFB, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany
| | - Emilie Kierig
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany.,German Center for Vertigo and Balance Disorders-IFB, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany
| | - Sophia Stöcklein
- Department of Radiology, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany
| | - Valerie Kirsch
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany. .,German Center for Vertigo and Balance Disorders-IFB, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany. .,Graduate School of Systemic Neuroscience (GSN), Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany.
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Vestibular paroxysmia entails vestibular nerve function, microstructure and endolymphatic space changes linked to root-entry zone neurovascular compression. J Neurol 2023; 270:82-100. [PMID: 36255522 DOI: 10.1007/s00415-022-11399-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Revised: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Combining magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sequences that permit the determination of vestibular nerve angulation (NA = change of nerve caliber or direction), structural nerve integrity via diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), and exclusion of endolymphatic hydrops (ELH) via delayed gadolinium-enhanced MRI of the inner ear (iMRI) could increase the diagnostic accuracy in patients with vestibular paroxysmia (VP). Thirty-six participants were examined, 18 with VP (52.6 ± 18.1 years) and 18 age-matched with normal vestibulocochlear testing (NP 50.3 ± 16.5 years). This study investigated whether (i) NA, (ii) DTI changes, or (iii) ELH occur in VP, and (iv) to what extent said parameters relate. Methods included vestibulocochlear testing and MRI data analyses for neurovascular compression (NVC) and NA verification, DTI and ELS quantification. As a result, (i) NA increased NVC specificity. (ii) DTI structural integrity was reduced on the side affected by VP (p < 0.05). (iii) 61.1% VP showed mild ELH and higher asymmetry indices than NP (p > 0.05). (iv) "Disease duration" and "total number of attacks" correlated with the decreased structural integrity of the affected nerve in DTI (p < 0.001). NVC distance within the nerve's root-entry zone correlated with nerve function (Roh = 0.72, p < 0.001), nerve integrity loss (Roh = - 0.638, p < 0.001), and ELS volume (Roh = - 0.604, p < 0.001) in VP. In conclusion, this study is the first to link eighth cranial nerve function, microstructure, and ELS changes in VP to clinical features and increased vulnerability of NVC in the root-entry zone. Combined MRI with NVC or NA verification, DTI and ELS quantification increased the diagnostic accuracy at group-level but did not suffice to diagnose VP on a single-subject level due to individual variability and lack of diagnostic specificity.
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Poillon G, Horion J, Daval M, Bouccara D, Hautefort C, Housset J, Levy D, Purcell Y, Savatovsky J, Toupet M, Attyé A, Eliezer M. MRI characteristics of intralabyrinthine schwannoma on post-contrast 4 h-delayed 3D-FLAIR imaging. Diagn Interv Imaging 2021; 103:171-176. [PMID: 34688591 DOI: 10.1016/j.diii.2021.09.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2021] [Revised: 09/25/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to describe the MRI characteristics of intralabyrinthine schwannoma (ILS) on post contrast three-dimensional (3D) fluid-attenuation-inversion-recovery (FLAIR) images obtained four hours after intravenous administration of a gadolinium-based contrast agent (4h-3D-FLAIR). MATERIALS AND METHODS This IRB-approved retrospective multi-center study included patients presenting with typical ILS from January 2016 to October 2020. All medical charts were systematically collected. All MRI examinations, including 4h-3D-FLAIR images, were reviewed by two board-certified neuroradiologists. Main outcome measures were location, signal intensity and associated anomalies of ILS. RESULTS Twenty-seven out of 8730 patients (0.31%) referred for the investigation of a cochleovestibular disorder had a final diagnosis of ILS. There were 13 men and 14 women with a mean age of 52 ± 17 (SD) years (age range: 20-86 years). The most common clinical presentation was unilateral progressive sensorineural hearing loss (16/27; 59%). All ILS were unilateral and 15 (15/27; 55%) were intracochlear. All ILS presented as a hypointense filling defect within the labyrinth on T2-weighted images that enhanced on post-contrast T1-weighted images. On 4h-3D-FLAIR images, all ILS presented as a hypointense filling defect, associated with diffuse perilymphatic hyperintensity. Two patients (2/27; 7%) presented with ipsilateral endolymphatic hydrops. CONCLUSION ILS displays consistent features on post-contrast 4h-3D-FLAIR images. ILS should not be confused with endolymphatic hydrops and requires a systematic analysis of the corresponding T2-weighted images.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillaume Poillon
- Department of Neuroradiology, Fondation Adolphe de Rothschild Hospital, Paris 75019, France.
| | - Julien Horion
- Department of Neuroradiology, Rouen University Hospital, Rouen 7600, France
| | - Mary Daval
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Fondation Adolphe de Rothschild Hospital, Paris 75019, France
| | - Didier Bouccara
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Georges Pompidou Hospital, AP-HP, Paris 75015, France
| | - Charlotte Hautefort
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Lariboisière University Hospital, AP-HP, Paris 75010, France
| | - Juliette Housset
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Lariboisière University Hospital, AP-HP, Paris 75010, France
| | - Daniel Levy
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Fondation Adolphe de Rothschild Hospital, Paris 75019, France
| | - Yvonne Purcell
- Department of Neuroradiology, Fondation Adolphe de Rothschild Hospital, Paris 75019, France
| | - Julien Savatovsky
- Department of Neuroradiology, Fondation Adolphe de Rothschild Hospital, Paris 75019, France
| | - Michel Toupet
- Centre d'Explorations Fonctionnelles Otoneurologiques, Paris 75015, France
| | - Arnaud Attyé
- Department of Neuroradiology, Grenoble University Hospital, Grenoble 38000, France
| | - Michael Eliezer
- Department of Neuroradiology, Lariboisière University Hospital, AP-HP, Paris 75010, France; Université de Paris, Faculté de Médecine, Paris 75010, France
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Song CI, Pogson JM, Andresen NS, Ward BK. MRI With Gadolinium as a Measure of Blood-Labyrinth Barrier Integrity in Patients With Inner Ear Symptoms: A Scoping Review. Front Neurol 2021; 12:662264. [PMID: 34093410 PMCID: PMC8173087 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2021.662264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2021] [Accepted: 04/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective: Capillaries within the inner ear form a semi-permeable barrier called the blood-labyrinth barrier that is less permeable than capillary barriers elsewhere within the human body. Dysfunction of the blood-labyrinth barrier has been proposed as a mechanism for several audio-vestibular disorders. There has been interest in using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with intravenous gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCA) as a marker for the integrity of the blood labyrinth barrier in research and clinical settings. This scoping review evaluates the evidence for using intravenous gadolinium-enhanced MRI to assess the permeability of the blood-labyrinth barrier in healthy and diseased ears. Methods: A systematic search was conducted of three databases: PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL PLUS. Studies were included that used GBCA to study the inner ear and permeability of the blood-labyrinth barrier. Data was collected on MRI protocols used and inner ear enhancement patterns of healthy and diseased ears in both human and animal studies. Results: The search yielded 14 studies in animals and 53 studies in humans. In healthy animal and human inner ears, contrast-enhanced MRI demonstrated gradual increase in inner ear signal intensity over time that was limited to the perilymph. Signal intensity peaked at 100 min in rodents and 4 h in humans. Compared to controls, patients with idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss and otosclerosis had increased signal intensity both before and shortly after GBCA injection. In patients with Ménière's disease and vestibular schwannoma, studies reported increased signal at 4 h, compared to controls. Quality assessment of included studies determined that all the studies lacked sample size justification and many lacked adequate control groups or blinded assessors of MRI. Conclusions: The included studies provided convincing evidence that gadolinium crosses the blood-labyrinth barrier in healthy ears and more rapidly in some diseased ears. The timing of increased signal differs by disease. There was a lack of evidence that these findings indicate general permeability of the blood-labyrinth barrier. Future studies with consistent and rigorous methods are needed to investigate the relationship between gadolinium uptake and assessments of inner ear function and to better determine whether signal enhancement indicates permeability for molecules other than gadolinium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher I Song
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Jacob M Pogson
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States.,Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States.,Department of Neurology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, NSW, Australia
| | - Nicholas S Andresen
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Bryan K Ward
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
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Boegle R, Gerb J, Kierig E, Becker-Bense S, Ertl-Wagner B, Dieterich M, Kirsch V. Intravenous Delayed Gadolinium-Enhanced MR Imaging of the Endolymphatic Space: A Methodological Comparative Study. Front Neurol 2021; 12:647296. [PMID: 33967941 PMCID: PMC8100585 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2021.647296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2020] [Accepted: 02/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
In-vivo non-invasive verification of endolymphatic hydrops (ELH) by means of intravenous delayed gadolinium (Gd) enhanced magnetic resonance imaging of the inner ear (iMRI) is rapidly developing into a standard clinical tool to investigate peripheral vestibulo-cochlear syndromes. In this context, methodological comparative studies providing standardization and comparability between labs seem even more important, but so far very few are available. One hundred eight participants [75 patients with Meniere's disease (MD; 55.2 ± 14.9 years) and 33 vestibular healthy controls (HC; 46.4 ± 15.6 years)] were examined. The aim was to understand (i) how variations in acquisition protocols influence endolymphatic space (ELS) MR-signals; (ii) how ELS quantification methods correlate to each other or clinical data; and finally, (iii) how ELS extent influences MR-signals. Diagnostics included neuro-otological assessment, video-oculography during caloric stimulation, head-impulse test, audiometry, and iMRI. Data analysis provided semi-quantitative (SQ) visual grading and automatic algorithmic quantitative segmentation of ELS area [2D, mm2] and volume [3D, mm3] using deep learning-based segmentation and volumetric local thresholding. Within the range of 0.1-0.2 mmol/kg Gd dosage and a 4 h ± 30 min time delay, SQ grading and 2D- or 3D-quantifications were independent of signal intensity (SI) and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR; FWE corrected, p < 0.05). The ELS quantification methods used were highly reproducible across raters or thresholds and correlated strongly (0.3-0.8). However, 3D-quantifications showed the least variability. Asymmetry indices and normalized ELH proved the most useful for predicting quantitative clinical data. ELH size influenced SI (cochlear basal turn p < 0.001), but not SNR. SI could not predict the presence of ELH. In conclusion, (1) Gd dosage of 0.1-0.2 mmol/kg after 4 h ± 30 min time delay suffices for ELS quantification. (2) A consensus is needed on a clinical SQ grading classification including a standardized level of evaluation reconstructed to anatomical fixpoints. (3) 3D-quantification methods of the ELS are best suited for correlations with clinical variables and should include both ears and ELS values reported relative or normalized to size. (4) The presence of ELH increases signal intensity in the basal cochlear turn weakly, but cannot predict the presence of ELH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rainer Boegle
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany.,German Center for Vertigo and Balance Disorders-IFB (Integriertes Forschungs- und Behandlungszentrum), University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany.,Graduate School of Systemic Neuroscience (GSN), Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany
| | - Johannes Gerb
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany.,German Center for Vertigo and Balance Disorders-IFB (Integriertes Forschungs- und Behandlungszentrum), University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany
| | - Emilie Kierig
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany.,German Center for Vertigo and Balance Disorders-IFB (Integriertes Forschungs- und Behandlungszentrum), University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany
| | - Sandra Becker-Bense
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany.,German Center for Vertigo and Balance Disorders-IFB (Integriertes Forschungs- und Behandlungszentrum), University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany
| | - Birgit Ertl-Wagner
- Department of Radiology, The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Radiology, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany
| | - Marianne Dieterich
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany.,German Center for Vertigo and Balance Disorders-IFB (Integriertes Forschungs- und Behandlungszentrum), University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany.,Graduate School of Systemic Neuroscience (GSN), Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany.,Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SyNergy), Munich, Germany
| | - Valerie Kirsch
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany.,German Center for Vertigo and Balance Disorders-IFB (Integriertes Forschungs- und Behandlungszentrum), University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany.,Graduate School of Systemic Neuroscience (GSN), Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany
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6
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Marsh O, Destri A, Di Palma S, Mari L, De Risio L, Stabile F. Paraneoplastic ganglioradiculoneuritis in a cat with a plasma cell tumour. JFMS Open Rep 2021; 7:20551169211003806. [PMID: 33868702 PMCID: PMC8020407 DOI: 10.1177/20551169211003806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Case summary An 8-year-old neutered female domestic longhair cat was presented for investigation of a 48 h history of lethargy and pelvic limb ataxia. MRI of the spinal cord and vertebral column (C1 to sacrum) and brain was unremarkable. Lumbar cerebrospinal fluid analysis revealed pleocytosis and increased protein concentration. Thoracic radiographs and abdominal ultrasound were unremarkable. Anti-inflammatory doses of prednisolone were administered. Clinical deterioration occurred over the following 2 days, with the development of lower motor neuron deficits in both thoracic limbs. On repetition of the MRI, bilateral enlargement, T2-weighted hyperintensity, and marked contrast enhancement of the C7, C8 and T1 nerve roots, spinal nerves and brachial plexuses were observed. Infectious disease testing was negative. An immune-mediated inflammatory process was suspected and immunosuppressive doses of prednisolone were commenced. The clinical signs improved transiently, but marked deterioration occurred after 2 weeks. The patient was euthanased and a post-mortem examination was performed. A lymphocytic inflammatory infiltrate was detected in the C7, C8 and T1 nerve roots and dorsal root ganglia, and neoplastic plasma cells were identified in multiple organs. A diagnosis of non-cutaneous extramedullary plasmacytoma with multiorgan involvement and paraneoplastic ganglioradiculoneuritis was reached. Relevance and novel information Paraneoplastic ganglioradiculoneuritis in association with a plasma cell neoplasia has not been previously reported in the cat and should be considered as a differential diagnosis for cats with clinical or imaging evidence of an inflammatory process affecting the nerve roots, spinal nerves or brachial plexuses.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Lorenzo Mari
- Wear Referrals Veterinary Hospital, Bradbury, UK
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Shapovalova MV, Zamergrad MV, Guseva AL, Baibakova EV. [Bilateral vestibulopathy in elderly patients]. Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova 2020; 120:16-21. [PMID: 33205926 DOI: 10.17116/jnevro202012010216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Balance disorders and recurring falls are the most frequent causes of medical treatment in old age. Chronic cerebral vascular insufficiency is considered to be the cause of instability in most of these cases, and its role in the development of postural instability in old age is likely to be greatly overrated. At the same time, the role of chronic peripheral vestibular disorders, by contrast, is underestimated. The emergence in recent years of sensitive, specific and, at the same time, relatively accessible methods of diagnosing peripheral vestibulopathies has led to a much more frequent diagnosis of peripheral vestibulopathies, and their role in the development of postural instability in elderly patients is being revisited. This review considers current approaches to the diagnosis and treatment of bilateral vestibulopathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- M V Shapovalova
- Russian Medical Academy of Postgraduate Education, Moscow, Russia.,Russian Gerontology Clinical Research Center of Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Moscow, Russian
| | - M V Zamergrad
- Russian Medical Academy of Postgraduate Education, Moscow, Russia.,Russian Gerontology Clinical Research Center of Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Moscow, Russian
| | - A L Guseva
- Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Moscow, Russia
| | - E V Baibakova
- Sverzevsky Research Institute of Otorhinolaryngology, Moscow, Russia
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8
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Gerb J, Ahmadi SA, Kierig E, Ertl-Wagner B, Dieterich M, Kirsch V. VOLT: a novel open-source pipeline for automatic segmentation of endolymphatic space in inner ear MRI. J Neurol 2020; 267:185-196. [PMID: 32666134 PMCID: PMC7718192 DOI: 10.1007/s00415-020-10062-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2020] [Revised: 06/02/2020] [Accepted: 07/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Background Objective and volumetric quantification is a necessary step in the assessment and comparison of endolymphatic hydrops (ELH) results. Here, we introduce a novel tool for automatic volumetric segmentation of the endolymphatic space (ELS) for ELH detection in delayed intravenous gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging of inner ear (iMRI) data. Methods The core component is a novel algorithm based on Volumetric Local Thresholding (VOLT). The study included three different data sets: a real-world data set (D1) to develop the novel ELH detection algorithm and two validating data sets, one artificial (D2) and one entirely unseen prospective real-world data set (D3). D1 included 210 inner ears of 105 patients (50 male; mean age 50.4 ± 17.1 years), and D3 included 20 inner ears of 10 patients (5 male; mean age 46.8 ± 14.4 years) with episodic vertigo attacks of different etiology. D1 and D3 did not differ significantly concerning age, gender, the grade of ELH, or data quality. As an artificial data set, D2 provided a known ground truth and consisted of an 8-bit cuboid volume using the same voxel-size and grid as real-world data with different sized cylindrical and cuboid-shaped cutouts (signal) whose grayscale values matched the real-world data set D1 (mean 68.7 ± 7.8; range 48.9–92.8). The evaluation included segmentation accuracy using the Sørensen-Dice overlap coefficient and segmentation precision by comparing the volume of the ELS. Results VOLT resulted in a high level of performance and accuracy in comparison with the respective gold standard. In the case of the artificial data set, VOLT outperformed the gold standard in higher noise levels. Data processing steps are fully automated and run without further user input in less than 60 s. ELS volume measured by automatic segmentation correlated significantly with the clinical grading of the ELS (p < 0.01). Conclusion VOLT enables an open-source reproducible, reliable, and automatic volumetric quantification of the inner ears’ fluid space using MR volumetric assessment of endolymphatic hydrops. This tool constitutes an important step towards comparable and systematic big data analyses of the ELS in patients with the frequent syndrome of episodic vertigo attacks. A generic version of our three-dimensional thresholding algorithm has been made available to the scientific community via GitHub as an ImageJ-plugin.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Gerb
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Marchioninistraße 15, 81377, Munich, Germany.,German Center for Vertigo and Balance Disorders - IFB-LMU, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - S A Ahmadi
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Marchioninistraße 15, 81377, Munich, Germany.,Graduate School of Systemic Neuroscience (GSN), Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - E Kierig
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Marchioninistraße 15, 81377, Munich, Germany.,German Center for Vertigo and Balance Disorders - IFB-LMU, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - B Ertl-Wagner
- Department of Radiology, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany.,Department of Radiology, The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - M Dieterich
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Marchioninistraße 15, 81377, Munich, Germany.,German Center for Vertigo and Balance Disorders - IFB-LMU, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany.,Graduate School of Systemic Neuroscience (GSN), Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany.,Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SyNergy), Munich, Germany
| | - V Kirsch
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Marchioninistraße 15, 81377, Munich, Germany. .,German Center for Vertigo and Balance Disorders - IFB-LMU, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany. .,Graduate School of Systemic Neuroscience (GSN), Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany.
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