Rotational chair (ROTO) instead of electronystagmography (ENG) as the primary vestibular test.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the sensitivity of rotational chair (ROTO) versus electronystagmography (ENG) in peripheral vestibular pathology.


METHODS
Retrospective chart review.


RESULTS
One thousand consecutive patients undergoing evaluation for dizziness and imbalance at a tertiary care referral balance center were reviewed. ROTO was the primary vestibular study used in all patients with ENG used as a confirmatory test at the discretion of the treating physician. A subgroup of 478 patients underwent both ROTO and ENG. Among the patients diagnosed with peripheral vestibulopathy, sensitivity for peripheral vestibulopathy was 71% for ROTO and 31% for ENG. However, specificity was 54% for ROTO and 86% for ENG.


CONCLUSIONS
We conclude that in this retrospective cohort with the authors' clinical diagnoses, ROTO is a more sensitive diagnostic study of peripheral vestibular pathology. The higher sensitivity of ROTO and the higher specificity of ENG may support the use of ROTO as the primary vestibular study and ENG as a supplemental vestibular study. Prospective analysis with distinct diagnostic criteria and defined inclusion criteria are necessary before these results can be widely extrapolated.
Arriaga
Moisés A
MA
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Division of Neurotology, New Orleans, LA, USA. MArria@LSUHSC.edu
Chen
Douglas A
DA
Cenci
Kathleen A
KA
D002150:Caloric Tests; D004584:Electronystagmography; D006801:Humans; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012399:Rotation; D012438:Saccades / Q000502:physiology; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; D015837:Vestibular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014724:Vestibular Function Tests