Differentiation of vestibular schwannomas from meningiomas of the internal auditory canal using perilymphatic signal evaluation on T2-weighted gradient-echo fast imaging employing steady state acquisition at 3T

BACKGROUND: Our aim was to confirm the usefulness of the perilymphatic signal changes on T2-weighted (T2W) gradient-echo sequence to differentiate vestibular schwannomas from internal auditory canal (IAC) meningiomas, through a compartmental analysis of inner ear fluids signal intensity. METHODS: A total of 203 patients with all criteria for typical vestibular schwannoma on T1-weighted contrast-enhanced sequences were retrospectively enrolled (190 schwannomas and 13 meningiomas). All patients underwent a T2W gradient-echo steady state free precession (SSFP) acquisition at 3T. Two radiologists analysed the signal intensity of the perilymph (cistern and cochlea) and endolymph (saccule and utricle) using a region of interest-based method for obtaining ratios between the analysed structures and the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). RESULTS: Obstructive vestibular schwannomas showed a markedly decreased perilymphatic signal in both cistern and cochlea; the cistern/CSF ratio (Ci/CSF) was 0.62. The decrease was more moderate in IAC meningiomas (Ci/CSF = 0.81). For Ci/CSF > 0.70, the tumour was more likely a meningioma, with a 92% sensitivity and 83% specificity. No endolymphatic signal changes were observed. CONCLUSION: The pronounced decrease in perilymphatic signal on a T2W SSFP sequence in obstructive vestibular schwannoma provides a new tool to differentiate schwannomas from IAC meningiomas, which may be useful to overcome the insufficiencies of morphological analysis.