MRI Findings of a Cholesteatomatous Labyrinthine Fistula Showing Abnormal Inner Ear Enhancement

A 59-year-old male patient presented with sudden onset of vertigo and hearing loss. Labyrinthitis due to lateral semicircular canal fistula caused by cholesteamatous otitis media was suspected from temporal bone computed tomography (CT) and clinical symptoms. The patient was treated with canal wall down mastoidectomy with removal of the cholesteatoma and lateral semicircular canal occlusion. Preoperative gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) images of the inner ear revealed increased signal in the cochlea as well as vestibule. Correlation of the MRI findings and the inner ear involvement in labyrinthine fistula is discussedope