John Huckans Office: (570) 389-4148 Lab: (570) 389-2581
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Research - Acoustics
We are examining the iatrogenic effects of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) on acoustic neuromas. MRI is the most widely used medical imaging technique to assess the health of the auditory (vestibulocochlear) nerve (VCN). One problem with MRI machines is that they have the potential for causing temporary threshold shifts (TTS) in humans. We have made in-situ measurements of the acoustic noise from a 1.5 Tesla MRI machine (GE Signa) during scans specific to VCN assessment. The measured noise levels in excess of 90 dBA Leq corroborate earlier investigations where TTS occurred. Also, in laboratory murine studies, excessive noise was shown to cause rapid swelling of constituents of the VCN within the cochlea. Therefore,
to the extent that murine and human inner ears have similar sensitivities, it is plausible that hypertrophe of the VCN within the cochlea of humans could occur during MRI assessment of the VCN.