Assessment of the Clinical Benefit of Imaging in Children With Unilateral Sensorineural Hearing Loss: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

A Case Report of Malignant Cerebellopontine Angle Lesion Highlighting the Interdisciplinary Diagnostic Challenge in the Case of Unilateral Progressive Hearing Loss

The authors present the case of a young boy who experienced progressive unilateral hearing loss initially believed to be unrelated to any other medical condition. Methods: The patient received a thorough evaluation, which included a comprehensive battery of audiological tests, a CT scan, and a gadolinium-enhanced MRI. Results: A repeated imaging investigation revealed the presence of a mass that mimicked a vestibular schwannoma (VS), but despite this, the boy was ultimately diagnosed with cerebral manifestations of B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL). Conclusions: Cerebral lesions originating from the internal auditory canal are rare in cases of B-ALL. In this case, the initial signs and symptoms of the disease were solely related to the audiovestibular system, making the diagnostic process particularly complicated. Unilateral hearing loss cases may indicate the presence of potentially life-threatening conditions, even if the hearing loss appears to be clinically non-syndromic. For these reasons, unilateral hearing losses necessitate a comprehensive interdisciplinary diagnostic approach from the very start of auditory manifestation and, in particular, if the hearing impairment demonstrates threshold progression.

High Prevalence of Cochlear Nerve Deficiency in Pediatric Patients With Cochlear Aperture Stenosis

OBJECTIVE

Cochlear nerve deficiency (CND) is a common radiologic finding among unilateral sensorineural hearing loss (USNHL) patients. It is generally detected with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which is associated with higher cost, less availability, and possible need for sedation. Therefore, identifying computed tomography (CT) findings, such as cochlear aperture stenosis (CAS), that can reliably predict CND is valuable. Our study aimed to determine the prevalence of CND in pediatric patients with CT-diagnosed CAS.

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective study.

SETTING

Tertiary care center.

METHODS

We included pediatric patients diagnosed with CAS on temporal bone CT and with available temporal bone MRI. For each patient, an otolaryngologist and a pediatric neuroradiologist measured the cochlear aperture width on CT to confirm CAS (cochlear aperture < 1.4 mm) and assessed the status of the cochlear nerve on MRI.

RESULTS

Fifty-five patients, representing 65 ears, had CAS on CT measurement. Median cochlear aperture width in CAS ears was 0.70 mm (interquartile range [IQR]: 0.40-1.05 mm) versus 2.00 mm in non-CAS ears (IQR: 1.80-2.30 mm, P < .001). CND was found in 98.5% (n = 64/65) of CAS ears, while a normal cochlear nerve was found in 1.5% (n = 1/65) of CAS ears.

CONCLUSION

CND is highly prevalent among pediatric patients with CAS. This suggests that MRI may not be needed to assess for CND in USNHL patients with CAS, as initial CT may provide sufficient information to determine cochlear implant candidacy. We recommend thoughtful shared decision-making with parents of USNHL patients when determining whether to pursue MRI in the setting of a CAS diagnosis.

Exome Sequencing Expands the Genetic Diagnostic Spectrum for Pediatric Hearing Loss

OBJECTIVES

Genetic testing is the standard-of-care for diagnostic evaluation of bilateral, symmetric, sensorineural hearing loss (HL). We sought to determine the efficacy of a comprehensive genetic testing method, exome sequencing (ES), in a heterogeneous pediatric patient population with bilateral symmetric, bilateral asymmetric, and unilateral HL.

METHODS

Trio-based ES was performed for pediatric patients with confirmed HL including those with symmetric, asymmetric, and unilateral HL.

RESULTS

ES was completed for 218 probands. A genetic cause was identified for 31.2% of probands (n = 68). The diagnostic rate was 40.7% for bilateral HL, 23.1% for asymmetric HL, and 18.3% for unilateral HL, with syndromic diagnoses made in 20.8%, 33.3%, and 54.5% of cases in each group, respectively. Secondary or incidental findings were identified in 10 families (5.52%).

CONCLUSION

ES is an effective method for genetic diagnosis for HL including phenotypically diverse patients and allows the identification of secondary findings, discovery of deafness-causing genes, and the potential for efficient data re-analysis.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

4 Laryngoscope, 133:2417-2424, 2023.

A Prospective Study of Genetic Variants in Infants with Congenital Unilateral Sensorineural Hearing Loss

Children with unilateral sensorineural hearing loss (uSNHL) have a high risk of speech-language delays and academic difficulties. Still, challenges remain in the diagnosis of uSNHL. With a prospective cross-sectional design, 20 infants were consecutively recruited from a universal newborn hearing screening program and invited to genetic testing. Eighteen of the subjects agreed to genetic testing, 15 subjects with OtoSCOPE^® v.9 screening 224 genes, and four subjects underwent targeted testing, screening for chromosomal abnormalities or 105-137 gene mutations. The genetic results were described together with the 20 infants' previously published auditory profiles and imaging results. Genetic causes for the uSNHL were found in 28% of subjects (5/18) including CHARGE syndrome (CHD7), autosomal recessive non-syndromic hearing loss (GJB2), Townes-Brocks syndrome (SALL1), Pendred Syndrome (SLC26A4) and Chromosome 8P inverted duplication and deletion syndrome. In subjects with comorbidities (malformation of fingers, anus, brain, and heart), 100% were diagnosed with a genetic cause for uSNHL (3/3 subjects), while 13% (2/15 subjects) were diagnosed without comorbidities observed at birth (p = 0.002). Genetic testing for congenital uSNHL is currently efficient for alleged syndromes, whereas genetic variants for non-syndromic congenital uSNHL need further research.

A Prospective Study of Etiology and Auditory Profiles in Infants with Congenital Unilateral Sensorineural Hearing Loss

Congenital unilateral sensorineural hearing loss (uSNHL) is associated with speech-language delays and academic difficulties. Yet, controversy exists in the choice of diagnosis and intervention methods. A cross-sectional prospective design was used to study hearing loss cause in twenty infants with congenital uSNHL consecutively recruited from a universal neonatal hearing-screening program. All normal-hearing ears showed ≤20 dB nHL auditory brainstem response (ABR) thresholds (ABRthrs). The impaired ear median ABRthr was 55 dB nHL, where 40% had no recordable ABRthr. None of the subjects tested positive for congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection. Fourteen subjects agreed to participate in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Malformations were common for all degrees of uSNHL and found in 64% of all scans. Half of the MRIs demonstrated cochlear nerve aplasia or severe hypoplasia and 29% showed inner ear malformations. Impaired ear and normal-hearing ear ABR input/output functions on a group level for subjects with ABRthrs < 90 dB nHL were parallel shifted. A significant difference in interaural acoustic reflex thresholds (ARTs) existed. In congenital uSNHL, MRI is powerful in finding a possible hearing loss cause, while congenital CMV infection may be relatively uncommon. ABRs and ARTs indicated an absence of loudness recruitment, with implications for further research on hearing devices.

Hearing loss impacts gray and white matter across the lifespan: Systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression

Hearing loss is a heterogeneous disorder thought to affect brain reorganization across the lifespan. Here, structural alterations of the brain due to hearing loss are assessed by using unique effect size metrics based on Cohen's d and Hedges' g. These metrics are used to map coordinates of gray matter (GM) and white matter (WM) alterations from bilateral congenital and acquired hearing loss populations. A systematic review and meta-analysis revealed m = 72 studies with structural alterations measured with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (bilateral = 64, unilateral = 8). The bilateral studies categorized hearing loss into congenital and acquired cases (n = 7,445) and control cases (n = 2,924), containing 66,545 datapoint metrics. Hearing loss was found to affect GM and underlying WM in nearly every region of the brain. In congenital hearing loss, GM decreased most in the frontal lobe. Similarly, acquired hearing loss had a decrease in frontal lobe GM, albeit the insula was most decreased. In congenital, WM underlying the frontal lobe GM was most decreased. In congenital, the right hemisphere was more negatively impacted than the left hemisphere; however, in acquired, this was the opposite. The WM alterations most frequently underlined GM alterations in congenital hearing loss, while acquired hearing loss studies did not frequently assess the WM metric. Future studies should use the endophenotype of hearing loss as a prognostic template for discerning clinical outcomes.

Correlation of cochlear aperture stenosis with cochlear nerve deficiency in congenital unilateral hearing loss and prognostic relevance for cochlear implantation

The use of neonatal hearing screening has enabled the identification of congenital unilateral sensorineural hearing loss (USNHL) immediately after birth, and today there are several intervention options available to minimize potential adverse effects of this disease, including cochlear implantation. This study aims to analyze the characteristics of the inner ear of a homogeneous group of congenital non-syndromic USNHL to highlight the features of the inner ear, which can help in clinical, surgical, and rehabilitative decision-making. A retrospective chart review was carried out at a tertiary referral center. Systematic diagnostic work-up and rigorous inclusion-exclusion criteria were applied to 126 children with unilateral hearing impairment, leading to a selection of 39 strictly congenital and non-syndromic USNHL cases, undergoing computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging studies. The frequency and type of malformations of the inner ear in USNHL and unaffected contralateral ears were assessed, with an in-depth analysis of the deficiency of the cochlear nerve (CND), the internal auditory canal (IAC) and the cochlear aperture (CA). Inner ear anomalies were found in 18 out of 39 (46%) of the USNHL patients. In 1 subject, the anomalies were bilateral, and the CND resulted in the predominant identified defect (78% of our abnormal case series), frequently associated with CA stenosis. Only 3 out of 14 children with CND presented stenosis of the IAC. CND and CA stenosis (and to a much lesser extent IAC stenosis) are a frequent association within congenital and non-syndromic USNHL that could represent a distinct pathological entity affecting otherwise healthy infants. In the context of a diagnostic work-up, the evaluation with CT and MRI measurements should take place in a shared decision-making setting with thorough counseling. Both imaging techniques have proven useful in differentiating the cases that will most likely benefit from the cochlear implant, from those with potentially poor implant performance.