Evaluation of the possible effect of noise on theperipheral hearing organ on magnetic resonance i̇maging patients with autoacoustic emmission device

The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of noise produced by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) device on hearing by using objective and subjective audiological assesments. A total of 38 patients between the ages of 18 and 50, who had normal otoscopic examination and normal tympanogram wtihout hearing loss were included. After otoscopic examination; pure tone audiometry, speech audiometry, high requency audiometry, transient evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAE) and distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE) tests were performed before and after MRI to all patients. There was no statistically significant differences in TEOAE, pure tone audiogram, high frequency audiogram and speech audiogram tresholds before and after MRI. DPOAE results at 4kHz were significantly differerent before and after MRI. On left ear median values were 13,6 and 15,7 before and after MRI consecutively. On the right ear median values were 14,1 and 13,2 before and after MRI consecutively. There was no statistically significant difference in other frequencies in DPOAE. Based on the difference at 4 kHz frequency on DPOAE; earphones may be sufficiently protect the patients from the MRI noise and this issue should deserve further research. In order to completely undertstand the effect of MRI noise on hearing; more comprehensive studies should be performed Keywords: Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Hearing, High Frequency Audiometry, Transient Evoked Otoacoustic Emissions (TEOAE),Distortion Product Otoacoustic Emissions (DPOAE).