Low-frequency harmonic acceleration in the evaluation of patients with intracanalicular and cerebellopontine angle tumors.
The application of low-frequency harmonic acceleration (HA) with the rotary chair is becoming more widespread in the clinical evaluation of the vestibular system. In the last 2 years, 18 patients with surgically or radiologically confirmed intracanalicular or cerebellopontine angle tumors have been evaluated with this clinical modality. In all cases (100%)--which included seven small tumors--vestibular evaluation with HA was abnormal. Slow harmonic acceleration, as is the case with other methods of vestibular evaluation, is not specific for acoustic tumors. Its great sensitivity in detecting peripheral vestibular abnormalities, however, may make it a useful addition to the test battery in the evaluation of patients with suspected intracanalicular or cerebellopontine angle tumors.
D000054:Acceleration; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002528:Cerebellar Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002530:Cerebellopontine Angle; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009464:Neuroma, Acoustic / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014724:Vestibular Function Tests / Q000379:methods*