  The properties of the ground state of $^{178}$Hf and the isomeric state
$^{178}$Hf$^{m2}$ are studied within the adiabatic and diabatic constrained
relativistic mean field (RMF) approaches. The RMF calculations reproduce well
the binding energy and the deformation for the ground state of $^{178}$Hf.
Using the ground state single-particle eigenvalues obtained in the present
calculation, the lowest excitation configuration with $K^\pi=16^+$ is found to
be $\nu(7/2^-[514])^{-1}(9/2^+[624])^{1}$
$\pi(7/2^+[404])^{-1}(9/2^-[514])^{1}$. Its excitation energy calculated by the
RMF theory with time-odd fields taken into account is equal to 2.801 MeV, i.e.,
close to the $^{178}$Hf$^{m2}$ experimental excitation energy 2.446 MeV. The
self-consistent procedure accounting for the time-odd component of the meson
fields is the most important aspect of the present calculation.
