MRI-confirmed cochlear artery infarct clinically diagnosed in a patient with sickle cell disease: a case report

To corroborate the vascular etiology of sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) utilizing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

A 24-year-old male with a history of sickle cell disease experienced sudden SNHL and right horizontal nystagmus, without accompanying vertigo.

Audiometric evaluation revealed left-sided SNHL, predominantly affecting high frequencies. Video head impulse testing demonstrated isolated dysfunction of the left posterior semicircular canal. An urgent brain MRI identified a recent punctiform ischemic stroke in the frontal region. A subsequent MRI, conducted with a 4-hour delay and post-contrast enhancement, highlighted a hyperintense signal within the left cochlear region and the left posterior semicircular canal.

The investigative results substantiate an infarction in the territory of the cochlear artery, precipitated by a vaso-occlusive event, thereby reinforcing the vascular hypothesis of cochleovestibular artery syndrome. This case underscores the congruence between clinical observations and delayed post-contrast MRI findings.