Central Vestibular Lesion: Anatomy and Imaging

Research in Vestibular Science > Volume 9(0); 2010 > Article

Research in Vestibular Science 2010;9(0): 119-119.

중심성 전정병변: 해부학 및 영상소견

문원진

건국대학교 의학전문대학원 영상의학과교실

Central Vestibular Lesion: Anatomy and Imaging

Won-Jin Moon, MD, PhD

Department of Radiology, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea

ABSTRACT

Vertigo, one of the most common complaints in medicine, is caused by asymmetric involvement of vestibular system. While peripheral vestibular lesion involves the semicircular canals, the otoliths, and the vestibular nerve, central vestibular lesion affects the vesibular nuclear complex (medial, lateral, superior and inferior), vestibulocerebellum, brain stem, spinal cord and vestibular cortex. Cerebrovascular disorders related to the vertebrobasilar arteries, migraine, multiple sclerosis, tumors of the posterior fossa as well as neurodegenerative disorders are the underlying etiologies of central vesibular lesions. This lectures reviews anatomy of central vestibular structures and imaging findings of some central vestibular disorders, with emphasis on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).