Endolymphatic duct, a bit more than what meets the eye
Reviewed by Hassan Mohammed

It is theorised that the endolymphatic duct (ED) and the endolymphatic sac (ES) system play a role in both the production and absorption of endolymph. This system could be responsible for development of endolymphatic hydrops (EH). Recently, the presence of EH can be diagnosed through contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The authors of this article studied post-contrast MRI scans of 1225 patients. They graded EH to mild, moderate and severe. They then assessed the signal intensity of the EDs. EH existence rates were significantly lower in the cochlea and the vestibule in cases with high signal in ED than in those with low signal. Moreover, the affected four ears with definite Ménière’s disease were not associated with EH in the vestibule. The authors commented that high signal in EDs could be the cause of some otological symptoms when EH is not seen on MRIs. This is an interesting study that will help clarify the relationship between the radiological findings and the clinical picture and might help in developing future, more targeted investigations.

Correlation of Endolymphatic Duct Signal Intensity With Clinical Features in Otological Diseases.
Matsui K, Yoshida T, Sugimoto S, et al.
OTOL NEUROTOL
2024;45(9):e624–9.