Question: A 78 year old male undergoes cochlear implant candidacy evaluation and is referred to you for surgery. He has symmetric, progressive hearing loss and used hearing aids until 2 years prior to this evaluation. He had a prior non contrast MRI for headaches with no evidence of retrocochlear pathology. Your resident notes linear “bands” of missing T2 signal throughout the semicircular canals and vestibule on both sides. Which of the following is the most likely reason for this imaging finding?

a) Artifact from patient motion

b) Banding artifact inherent to T2 FIESTA

c) Labyrinthitis ossificans

d) Intralabyrinthine schwannoma

[Answer will be posted with next week's new question]

Answer to last week's question, “Break It Down” (September 28, 2020)

B - Cholesterol granuloma.