Course of a sudden sensorineural hearing loss case diagnosed as intra-labyrinthine hemorrhage with MRI in the early phase.

Intralabyrinthine hemorrhage (ILH) is a rare differential diagnosis of sudden sensorineural hearing loss. Investigations using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the early phase from the onset are inevitable to diagnose ILH. However, MRI is not usually performed during the early phases of sudden sensorineural hearing loss. Hence, ILH is rarely diagnosed, and the hearing prognosis and vestibular function in patients have been poorly understood. In the present study, we report the detailed course of ILH with relatively good hearing recovery. Additionally, vestibular function recovery was quantitatively examined using a video head impulse test. A 75-year-old man presented at our clinic with a chief complaint of dizziness, sudden hearing loss, left sensorineural hearing loss, and nystagmus. MRI 18 days after onset showed a left ILH. Following treatment with prednisone, the patient's hearing level partially recovered and nystagmus disappeared. Our experience emphasizes that MRI in the early phase is crucial for diagnosing ILH. Furthermore, MRI in the early phase should be considered in cases of sudden sensorineural hearing loss or dizziness and is beneficial for investigating ILH as a subpopulation of sudden sensorineural hearing loss.