Membranous labyrinth volumes in normal ears and Ménière disease: a three-dimensional reconstruction study.

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this study was to determine the normal volume ranges of cochlear duct, saccule, and utricle, and to assess endolymphatic hydrops in Ménière disease.

STUDY

DESIGN

Retrospective temporal bone study.

METHODS

Three-dimensional (3-D) images of membranous labyrinth were reconstructed from 31 normal temporal bones, six temporal bones from three patients with bilateral Ménière disease, and 16 temporal bones from eight patients with unilateral Ménière disease. Volumes of each part of membranous labyrinth were measured in each temporal bone group after 3-D reconstruction.

RESULTS

The mean volumes and upper normal volume limits (over the 95% confidence interval) of the cochlear duct, saccule, and utricle were 7.67 and 9.77 mm(3), 2.42 and 3.68 mm(3), and 10.65 and 16.45 mm(3), respectively. All three patients with bilateral Ménière disease showed endolymphatic hydrops (excess of volume over normal limits) in both ears. Of eight patients with unilateral Ménière disease, five had no symptom in the contralateral ear, whereas three patients had histories of progression from unilateral to bilateral Ménière disease 13-21 years after the initial onset. All of the diseased and three of eight contralateral ears showed endolymphatic hydrops. In contrast, no hydrops was observed in any part of the membranous labyrinth in asymptomatic ears.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that cochleosaccular hydrops is a sensitive finding in Ménière disease. In addition, the volume data obtained from this study could be useful as a standard value for the assessment of hydrops in diagnostic imaging of the inner ear in Ménière disease.