Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38929858›Full record

ArticleJournal of personalized medicine2024

Clinical High-Resolution Imaging of the Inner Ear by Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT).

Tomislav Santek, Erich Hofmann, Christian Milewski, Konrad Schwager, Andreas Prescher

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of personalized medicine, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Intracochlear Imaging Using IVUS and OFDI: A Cadaveric Feasibility Study.Laryngoscope investigative otolaryngology · 2025
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Tomislav SantekDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Klinikum Fulda gAG, 36043 Fulda, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-7508-1138
Erich HofmannDepartment of Neuroradiology, Klinikum Fulda gAG, 36043 Fulda, Germany.
Christian MilewskiHNO-Privatpraxis an der Börse Frankfurt, 60313 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
Konrad SchwagerDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Klinikum Fulda gAG, 36043 Fulda, Germany.
Andreas PrescherInstitute of Molecular and Cellular Anatomy-Prosektur, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, 52074 Aachen, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-8241-5351

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeImaging of the delicate inner ear morphology has become more and more precise owing to the rapid progress in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). However, in clinical practice, the interpretation of imaging findings is hampered by a limited knowledge of anatomical details which are frequently obscured by artifacts. Corresponding review articles are as rare in journals as they are in reference books. This shortness prompted us to perform a direct comparison of imaging with anatomical whole-mount sections as a reference. It was the intention of this paper to compare the microscopic anatomy of a human inner ear as shown on anatomical whole-mount sections with high-resolution MRI and cone beam computed tomography (CBCT). Both are available in clinical routine and depict the structures with maximum spatial resolution. It was also a goal of this work to clarify if structures that were observed on MRI in a regular manner correlate with factual inner ear anatomy or correspond with artifacts typical for imaging.

methodsA fresh human anatomical specimen was examined on a clinical 3-Tesla MRI scanner using a dedicated surface coil. The same specimen was then studied with CBCT. In each imaging modality, high-resolution 3D data sets which enabled multiplanar reformatting were created. In the second step, anatomical whole-mount sections of the specimen were cut and stained. This process enabled a direct comparison of imaging with anatomical conditions.

resultsClinical MRI was able to depict the inner ear with remarkable anatomical precision. Strongly T2-weighted imaging protocols are exquisitely capable of showing the fluid-filled components of the inner ear. The macular organs, ampullar crests and cochlear aqueduct were clearly visible. Truncation artifacts are prone to be confused with the delicate membrane separating the endolymphatic from the perilymphatic compartment. However, it was not possible to directly depict this borderline.

conclusionsWith the maximum resolution of magnetic resonance tomography, commonly used in everyday clinical practice, even the smallest details of the inner ear structures can be reliably displayed. However, it is important to distinguish between truncation artifacts and true anatomical structures. Therefore, this study can be useful as a reference for image analysis.

Indexed as

cone beam computed tomographyinner ear anatomymagnetic resonance imagingtruncation artifactvisualization of inner ear

Identifiers

PMID38929858
PMCPMC11205160

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.