Inner Ear Anomalies Causing Congenital Sensorineural Hearing Loss: CT and MR Imaging Findings

any portion of the membranous or the bony labyrinth. A primary or secondary deficiency of the cochlear nerve may also present as a congenital anomaly. CT and MRI allow for a detailed analysis of each lesion and they can provide guidance for the proper treatment of each patient. Both CT and MR imaging can be used to detect inner ear malformations, yet the two techniques are often complementary. CT is preferred in those cases where associated middle or external ear malformations must be excluded. MRI is preferred in the case of evaluating subtle changes in the membranous labyrinth or where there are abnormalities of the nerves in the internal auditory canal (1-5). We describe here the CT and MRI findings for a variety of deformities of the osseous labyrinth involving the cochlea, vestibule, semicircular canal, internal auditory canal, and vestibular aqueduct in patients suffering from congenital sensorineural hearing loss.