Computed tomography in the diagnosis of central equilibrium disturbances

• Published in: Equilibrium Research Vol. 39; no. 2; pp. 248 - 256
• Main Authors: Miyata, Hideo, Suzuki, Tomoo, Morioka, Tamotsu, Tokita, Takashi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Japan Society for Equilibrium Research 1980
• ISSN: 0385-5716; 1882-577X
• DOI: 10.3757/jser.39.248

There are many patients with central vertigo and/or equilibrium disturbance in whom neurootological examination fail to explain the site of lesion or the etiology of disturbance. In this paper the results of computed tomography (CT) performed in these patients are reported.Subjects Twenty-eight patients who complained of vertigo and/or equilibrium disturbance were evaluated in this study. These patients received neurootological examinations and it was inferred that their complaints were due to disorders of the contral nervous system.Methed The EMI 1, 000 system or 1, 010 system were utilized for the study.Results The following results were obtained. 1) Two of the 5 patients with severe standing disturbance were shown to have cerebrocerebellar atrophy. 2) Two of the 5 patients with cerebellar signs had cerebellar and brain stem atrophy. 3) All of the 5 patients with congenital nystagmus did not show any abnormal findings on CT. 4) Nine of the 13 patients with other neurootological signs showed cerebral, cerebellar and brain stem atrophy. These results lead to the following conclusions. 1) Computed tomography is of value in the diagnosis of central vertigo and equilibrium disturbance. 2) Brain atrophy is significant in the development of central vertigo and equilibrium disturbances. 3) Diagnosis of vertigo and equilibrium disturbance can be suggested by functional neurootological examination and confirmed morphologically by computed tomography.