Imaging of the vestibule

PURPOSE: State-of-the-art imaging of the normal and pathologic vestibule. METHODS AND MATERIAL: This study is based on the experience of three French imaging centers (Val de Grace, Bégin, and Saint-Antoine hospitals) working with 1- and 1.5-tesla magnetic resonance units and high-resolution computed tomography, and it includes a review of the literature. Computed tomography is performed with a high-resolution program, matrix 512 x 512, field of view 9.6 cm, joined 1-mm section, overlapped sections every 0.5 mm, axial and coronal sections, or reformatted images. High-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (matrix 512 x 384), field of view 18 cm, is used with fast T2-weighted sequences (sections 3 or 2 mm thick, constructive interference in steady state, T2-weighted gradient echo sequence three-dimensional Fourier transformation). A joined section of 0.7 mm in any direction is obtained if necessary. Superimposition of computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging with a stereotactic technique by identification of identical anatomic points is sometimes used. RESULTS: We review the interest and place of computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging in the diseases of the labyrinth and internal auditory canal related to abnormal vestibular functions: inflammatory labyrinthitis, vestibular hemorrhages, sclerosing and ossifying labyrinthitis, traumatism, malformations, perilymphatic fistulas, otosclerosis, tumors, cochleovestibular neuritis, and hydrops of the endolymphatic system.