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

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.