The Feasibility of Magnetic Resonance Imaging Without General Anesthesia Using the “Bundle and Scan” Technique for Infants With Sensorineural Hearing Loss

Objective:

The purpose of this study is to determine the feasibility of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) without general anesthesia (GA) for infants being evaluated for sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) using the bundle and scan technique.

Study Design:

Retrospective study.

Setting:

Pediatric tertiary care hospital.

Patients:

All infants who underwent MRI using the bundle and scan technique as part of the diagnostic workup for unilateral or bilateral SNHL between June 2016 to April 2019 were included.

Main Outcome Measure:

The primary outcome was the proportion of clinically useful images produced.

Results:

We reviewed 21 bundle and scan MRI examinations in infants being evaluated for SNHL. Patients had a median age of 10 (range: 6–25) weeks at the time of MRI. Motion artifact was noted in 38% (8/21) of cases. Eighty-six percent (18/21) of the magnetic resonance images produced using the bundle and scan technique were of diagnostic quality and/or sufficient for surgical planning for cochlear implantation. Repeat imaging with GA was required for three cases (14%) as the initial images were not clinically useful. All patients requiring GA had unilateral SNHL. All patients with bilateral SNHL successfully underwent MRI without GA using the bundle and scan technique.

Conclusion:

The results of our study demonstrate that it is feasible to perform MRI using the bundle and scan technique in the majority of young infants being evaluated for SNHL. This has the potential to help determine cochlear implant candidacy earlier, reduce exposure to GA, and reduce healthcare costs.