UNCOMMON DIFFERENTIAL-DIAGNOSIS IN PHYSIC AL SIGNS OF VERTIGO

The diagnosis of vestibulocochlear nerve and statoacoustic organ lesio ns is based on the symptoms vertigo, hearing loss and tinnitus. The mo st common diseases are vestibular neuronitis, Meniere's disease, benig n positional vertigo and sudden hearing loss. 6 patients are presented , complaining of at least one of the symptoms vertigo, hearing loss or tinnitus. They were suspected of suffering from a peripheral audioves tibular disease when admitted to the clinic, but all of them revealed other pathologies. A careful history and step-wise otoneurologic diagn ostics including clinical examination, otoneurologic testing, audiolog ic tests, electronystagmography, acoustic evoked potentials and imagin g techniques finally resulted in the correct diagnosis.