Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Dual hearing protection effectively preserves outer hair cell function during 7 T MRI

Wennberg, L. LU ; Waechter, S. LU ; Brännström, K. J. LU ; Sundgren, P. C. LU orcid ; Markenroth Bloch, K. LU orcid ; Hansson, B. LU and Mårtensson, J. LU (2026) In Radiography 32(4).
Abstract

Introduction: Exposure to high acoustic noise levels generated during 7 Tesla (T) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may affect auditory function. To better understand these effects, this study examines how such noise exposure influences outer hair cell function in healthy adults, with a focus on the efficiency of a dual hearing protection method. Methods: In this within-subjects longitudinal study, outer hair cell function was assessed in 39 participants (aged 18–41 years) using distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs). Participants completed two 7 T MRI sessions on the same day while wearing dual hearing protection (foam earplugs in combination with sound-absorbing impression paste). DPOAEs were measured before the first MRI... (More)

Introduction: Exposure to high acoustic noise levels generated during 7 Tesla (T) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may affect auditory function. To better understand these effects, this study examines how such noise exposure influences outer hair cell function in healthy adults, with a focus on the efficiency of a dual hearing protection method. Methods: In this within-subjects longitudinal study, outer hair cell function was assessed in 39 participants (aged 18–41 years) using distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs). Participants completed two 7 T MRI sessions on the same day while wearing dual hearing protection (foam earplugs in combination with sound-absorbing impression paste). DPOAEs were measured before the first MRI session and immediately after both MRI sessions, with follow-up assessments on a separate day to detect any enduring alterations in auditory function. Results: Among the 39 participants, DPOAEs demonstrated no significant variations in outer hair cell function across the assessed time points, suggesting that cochlear function remained stable. Conclusion: This study suggests that, with adequate dual hearing protection, repeated exposure to high acoustic noise during 7 T MRI does not adversely affect outer hair cell function in healthy adults. Implications for practice: Our findings highlight the importance of rigorous hearing protection in MRI, particularly in ultra-high-field settings. Dual hearing protection, combining foam earplugs with sound-absorbing impression paste, is shown to effectively prevent measurable cochlear deterioration during repeated 7 T MRI sessions. These results support adopting multiple protective barriers as a practical standard and contribute to auditory safety in diagnostic imaging.

(Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Excessive noise, Hearing, Hearing protective device, Magnetic resonance imaging, Noise, Noise exposure
in
Radiography
volume
32
issue
4
article number
103398
publisher
W.B. Saunders
external identifiers
  • scopus:105032877269
  • pmid:41850163
ISSN
1078-8174
DOI
10.1016/j.radi.2026.103398
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
5409d682-9c4a-498e-a47a-8845dc7b330a
date added to LUP
2026-04-23 14:29:58
date last changed
2026-04-24 02:47:31
@article{5409d682-9c4a-498e-a47a-8845dc7b330a,
  abstract     = {{<p>Introduction: Exposure to high acoustic noise levels generated during 7 Tesla (T) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may affect auditory function. To better understand these effects, this study examines how such noise exposure influences outer hair cell function in healthy adults, with a focus on the efficiency of a dual hearing protection method. Methods: In this within-subjects longitudinal study, outer hair cell function was assessed in 39 participants (aged 18–41 years) using distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs). Participants completed two 7 T MRI sessions on the same day while wearing dual hearing protection (foam earplugs in combination with sound-absorbing impression paste). DPOAEs were measured before the first MRI session and immediately after both MRI sessions, with follow-up assessments on a separate day to detect any enduring alterations in auditory function. Results: Among the 39 participants, DPOAEs demonstrated no significant variations in outer hair cell function across the assessed time points, suggesting that cochlear function remained stable. Conclusion: This study suggests that, with adequate dual hearing protection, repeated exposure to high acoustic noise during 7 T MRI does not adversely affect outer hair cell function in healthy adults. Implications for practice: Our findings highlight the importance of rigorous hearing protection in MRI, particularly in ultra-high-field settings. Dual hearing protection, combining foam earplugs with sound-absorbing impression paste, is shown to effectively prevent measurable cochlear deterioration during repeated 7 T MRI sessions. These results support adopting multiple protective barriers as a practical standard and contribute to auditory safety in diagnostic imaging.</p>}},
  author       = {{Wennberg, L. and Waechter, S. and Brännström, K. J. and Sundgren, P. C. and Markenroth Bloch, K. and Hansson, B. and Mårtensson, J.}},
  issn         = {{1078-8174}},
  keywords     = {{Excessive noise; Hearing; Hearing protective device; Magnetic resonance imaging; Noise; Noise exposure}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{4}},
  publisher    = {{W.B. Saunders}},
  series       = {{Radiography}},
  title        = {{Dual hearing protection effectively preserves outer hair cell function during 7 T MRI}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.radi.2026.103398}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.radi.2026.103398}},
  volume       = {{32}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}