No abstract

OBJECTIVE:Cochlear implantation is a clinical and cost-effective treatment for severe hearing loss. Cochlear nerve size assessment by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been investigated for use as a prognostic indicator following cochlear implantation. This study aimed to further that research by assessing nerve size in normal-hearing adults for symmetry. MATERIALS and METHODS:Patients with tinnitus presenting to our center retrospectively had their nerve size assessed by MRI. RESULTS:The study found no significant differences between right and left cochlear nerves in normal-hearing adults, supporting our hypothesis of symmetry in these individuals. This was a previously unproven and uninvestigated hypothesis.CONCLUSION: Nerve size assessment should remain an active area of research in otological disease.

Craniofacial trauma is common following road-traffic accidents, assaults and falls and may occur in isolation or associated with other body injuries. Due to the complexity of the maxillofacial and skull-base region, initial diagnosis may be inaccurate or delayed, leading to significant morbidity. Multidetector computed tomography is the modality of choice following high-energy blunt or penetrating trauma. It allows accurate evaluation of the fracture patterns and associated soft tissue complications and aids the appropriate medical and surgical treatment. In this article, we review and classify the most common traumatic injuries to the maxillofacial and skull-base region and outline the role of imaging in establishing complications and prognosis.