Intralabyrinthine pathology: Role of imaging

Although the microanatomy of the membranous labyrinth remains beyond the capacity of clinical scanners, developments in imaging technology and postprocessing have continued to improve resolution of subtle intralabyrinthine pathology. This article reviews imaging selection and optimization for labyrinthine symptoms, limitations owing to patient and technical factors, and examples of discrete pathology and inferred findings based on imaging characteristics. In addition to the desire to improve resolution and contrast within a clinically acceptable acquisition time, current imaging dilemmas include computed tomography dose reduction strategies and optimizing imaging utilization.