Evidences of vascular origin of cochleovestibular dysfunction

Objectives - When the vascular disorder of the cochleovestibular system is mentioned, the diagnosis is based on exclusion of other diseases. Since art eries of the cochleovestibular system cannot be directly visualized, physic ians must deduce from the vascular risk factors and the vascular lesion of other territories to the vascular cochleovestibular disease. Materials and methods - Authors analyzed the data of 19 patients with vertigo. Detailed b lood tests, complete neurootological and audiological examination including ABR, carotid and vertebral artery Doppler sonography, MRI and MRA was perf ormed. Results - Cochleovestibular examination and ABR showed abnormalities in 73.7%, either carotid and vertebral artery Doppler or MRI showed abnorm alities in 57.9%. MRA was abnormal in 47.4%. In most of the patients multip le risk factors of cerebrovascular disorder could be found. Conclusions - T he cochleovestibular system disorders can be considered to be of vascular o rigin if the examinations exclude other diseases, if the patients have vasc ular risk factors and if other territories of brain accessible for imaging methods show vascular disorders.