Enhancement of the eighth cranial nerve and labyrinth on MR imaging in sudden sensorineural hearing loss associated with human herpesvirus 1 infection: case report.

The case of a 61-year-old woman who presented with herpes labialis, subclinical meningitis, and sudden onset of bilateral sensorineural hearing loss is presented. Contrast-enhanced MR imaging showed marked bilateral enhancement of the intracanalicular portion of the eighth cranial nerve, right cochlea, and left vestibule. Polymerase chain reaction was positive for human herpesvirus 1 obtained from the cerebral spinal fluid, which suggested the diagnosis of viral neuritis.