Biomaterial Database

Otoneurological diagnostics in posterior fossa lesions. 1988

L M Odkvist

Department of Otolaryngology, University Hospital, Linköping, Sweden.

When investigating patients with suspicion of a posterior fossa lesion, case history and clinical examination are important. Additional information is obtained by using an otoneurological test battery consisting of electronystagmography and audiology, primarily brain stem audiometry. In the electronystagmography one should look for spontaneous, positional and gaze nystagmus and asymmetry in the caloric test. In our material of 78 patients with acoustic neuromas, spontaneous nystagmus was present in 58%, positional nystagmus in 43% gaze nystagmus in 5% and caloric asymmetry in 88%. To reveal CNS disturbances in the posterior fossa, whether due to pressure from a pontine angle tumour or a vascular loop, or caused by cerebellobrainstem infarction, bleeding or tumour, certain special tests have proved valuable: computerized sinusoidal vs. randomized rotatory and smooth pursuit tests and ocular saccade test. A visual suppression test performed in the rotatory chair makes it possible to compare suppression and pursuit at identical stimulation patterns, which adds a new diagnostic tool.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D009464	Neuroma, Acoustic	A benign SCHWANNOMA of the eighth cranial nerve (VESTIBULOCOCHLEAR NERVE), mostly arising from the vestibular branch (VESTIBULAR NERVE) during the fifth or sixth decade of life. Clinical manifestations include HEARING LOSS; HEADACHE; VERTIGO; TINNITUS; and FACIAL PAIN. Bilateral acoustic neuromas are associated with NEUROFIBROMATOSIS 2. (From Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, p673)	Acoustic Neuroma,Melanocytic Vestibular Schwannoma,Schwannoma, Acoustic,Schwannoma, Vestibular,Acoustic Neuroma, Cerebellopontine Angle,Acoustic Tumor,Angle Tumor,Cerebellopontine Angle Acoustic Neuroma,Cerebellopontine Angle Tumor,Neurilemmoma, Acoustic,Neurilemoma, Acoustic,Neurinoma of the Acoustic Nerve,Neurinoma, Acoustic,Neuroma, Acoustic, Unilateral,Vestibular Schwannoma,Acoustic Neurilemmoma,Acoustic Neurilemmomas,Acoustic Neurilemoma,Acoustic Neurilemomas,Acoustic Neurinoma,Acoustic Neurinomas,Acoustic Neuromas,Acoustic Schwannoma,Acoustic Schwannomas,Acoustic Tumors,Angle Tumor, Cerebellopontine,Angle Tumors,Angle Tumors, Cerebellopontine,Cerebellopontine Angle Tumors,Melanocytic Vestibular Schwannomas,Neurilemmomas, Acoustic,Neurilemomas, Acoustic,Neurinomas, Acoustic,Neuromas, Acoustic,Schwannoma, Melanocytic Vestibular,Schwannomas, Acoustic,Schwannomas, Melanocytic Vestibular,Schwannomas, Vestibular,Tumor, Acoustic,Tumor, Angle,Tumor, Cerebellopontine Angle,Tumors, Acoustic,Tumors, Angle,Tumors, Cerebellopontine Angle,Vestibular Schwannoma, Melanocytic,Vestibular Schwannomas,Vestibular Schwannomas, Melanocytic
D001933	Brain Stem	The part of the brain that connects the CEREBRAL HEMISPHERES with the SPINAL CORD. It consists of the MESENCEPHALON; PONS; and MEDULLA OBLONGATA.	Brainstem,Truncus Cerebri,Brain Stems,Brainstems,Cerebri, Truncus,Cerebrus, Truncus,Truncus Cerebrus
D006313	Hearing Loss, Central	Hearing loss due to disease of the AUDITORY PATHWAYS (in the CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM) which originate in the COCHLEAR NUCLEI of the PONS and then ascend bilaterally to the MIDBRAIN, the THALAMUS, and then the AUDITORY CORTEX in the TEMPORAL LOBE. Bilateral lesions of the auditory pathways are usually required to cause central hearing loss. Cortical deafness refers to loss of hearing due to bilateral auditory cortex lesions. Unilateral BRAIN STEM lesions involving the cochlear nuclei may result in unilateral hearing loss.	Central Hearing Loss,Cortical Deafness,Deafness, Cortical
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D001300	Audiometry, Evoked Response	A form of electrophysiologic audiometry in which an analog computer is included in the circuit to average out ongoing or spontaneous brain wave activity. A characteristic pattern of response to a sound stimulus may then become evident. Evoked response audiometry is known also as electric response audiometry.	Audiometry, Electroencephalic Response,Electrocochleography,Evoked Response Audiometry,Audiometries, Electroencephalic Response,Audiometries, Evoked Response,Electrocochleographies,Electroencephalic Response Audiometries,Electroencephalic Response Audiometry,Evoked Response Audiometries,Response Audiometries, Electroencephalic,Response Audiometries, Evoked,Response Audiometry, Electroencephalic,Response Audiometry, Evoked
D014724	Vestibular Function Tests	A number of tests used to determine if the brain or balance portion of the inner ear are causing dizziness.	Function Test, Vestibular,Function Tests, Vestibular,Test, Vestibular Function,Tests, Vestibular Function,Vestibular Function Test