Electronystagmographic findings in patients with acute cerebral vascular disease and vertigo

A neurootologist examined '33 successive cases of acute disabling vertigo f rom the Clinic of Neurology of Turku University Central Hospital. On magnet ic resonance imagine (MRI), 24 patients had evidence of acute cerebral or c erebellar brain infarction. The examination scheme included a case history analysis, clinical neurootological examination and electronystagmography (E NG). The audiological examination included pure-tent thresholds and speech audiometry. The ENG analyses were done by two neurootologists who had no in formation about the aetiology of the diseases. A central disturbance in ENG was observed in 59% (10/17) of the patients with cerebral brain infarction and 71% (5/7) of the patients with cerebellar brain infarction. ENG is not valid as a screening method for the central aetiology of vertigo; imaging of the central nervous system is needed.