After participation in a research study involving a 7 Tesla-MRI scan, a long-term
deaf patient reported a sudden improvement in his hearing abilities. This improvement
was first validated by a hearing aid specialist who checked and adjusted the patient’s
hearing aid after an audiometry. Afterwards the patient appeared in the University
Clinic of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery for further testing. Here we diagnosed
a bilateral hearing improvement based on pure tone audiogram. While the patient suffered
from bilateral cantonal sensorineural hearing loss of 30dB for low pitched tones with
a steep decline to 70 dB at 1,5 kHz only one year ago, the current audiogram revealed
only a medium to high pitch sensorineural hearing loss with a steep decline to 70
dB at 1,5 kHz. The sensorineural hearing loss of low pitched deep tones could no longer
be found.
The patient is convinced that the 7T MRI caused the improvements which are now already
lasting for 5 months. And although we have not yet been able to find a conclusive
explanation, potential mechanism could be related to the common side effects of MRI
on vestibulocochlear system. In this regard vertigo with nystagmus as well as transient
heraring impariment have been described and are controvercially discussed.
In our opinion one possible explanation for the hearing improvement could be a correction
of a tubular dysfunction due to the effect of the strong magnetic field in a 7T MRI.
Although it is difficult to relate changes in subjective evaluations to previous diagnostic
procedures, this case indicates that further research in this direction could unveil
new therapeutic strategies involving strong magnetic fields in treatment of Eustachian
tube dysfunction.
