Easy Approach to the Dizzy Patient: Imaging

Research in Vestibular Science > Volume 11(0); 2012 > Article

Research in Vestibular Science 2012;11(0): 25-28.

어지럼 환자에 대한 쉬운 접근: 영상

이태경

순천향대학교 의과대학 신경과학교실, 순천향대학교 부천병원 신경과

Easy Approach to the Dizzy Patient: Imaging

Tae-Kyeong Lee, MD, PhD

Department of Neurology, Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital, Soonchunhyang University College of Medicine, Bucheon, Korea

ABSTRACT

Imaging of the audiovestibular system has become an important element for the approach to the dizzy patient. Among many imaging tools, magnetic resonance (MR) imaging has been considered to have a high sensitivity and specificity for diagnosis of lesions in the retrocochlear vestibular system as compared with computed tomography. In addition, considerable subsets of sinister central vestibular disorders with subtle clues can be identified by MR imaging. However, its high cost precludes its routine use for screening all patients with vestibular disorders. Therefore, MR imaging should be considered only to the patients with a risk of having retrocochlear lesions including vestibular schwannoma, cerebellopontine angle tumors, and demyelinating or vascular lesions in the posterior fossa. There have been efforts to identify the factors implying each of retrocochlear lesion, but no definite indication for imaging have suggested. The presenting pattern of dizziness, accompanying features, neurootological bed side and laboratory examination can provide useful information for recognizing factors suggesting retrocochlear lesions. The aim of this review was to discuss the indication for the neuro-otologic imaging in approaching to the dizzy patients.