Relationship between endolymphatic hydrops and vestibular-evoked myogenic potential.
CONCLUSIONS
Vestibular-evoked myogenic potential (VEMP) can be used to examine endolymphatic hydrops, especially in the vestibule.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the relationship between the degree of endolymphatic hydrops revealed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and VEMP.


METHODS
Gadolinium diluted with saline was injected intratympanically in 49 ears (40 patients). One day after the injection, the endolymphatic space in the vestibule and the cochlea was visualized by 3 Tesla MRI. A VEMP test was done, and VEMP was judged as absent when the VEMP was within the noise level.


RESULTS
VEMP was present in 21 ears and absent in 28 ears. Endolymphatic hydrops was significantly associated with the disappearance of VEMP. Endolymphatic hydrops in the vestibule had a stronger effect than endolymphatic hydrops in the cochlea. Five patients with extremely large vestibular hydrops showed no response of VEMP.
Katayama
Naomi
N
Department of Nutrition and Food Science, Nagoya Women's University, Nagoya, Japan.
Yamamoto
Masako
M
Teranishi
Masaaki
M
Naganawa
Shinji
S
Nakata
Seiichi
S
Sone
Michihiko
M
Nakashima
Tsutomu
T
D005071:Evoked Potentials; D005682:Gadolinium / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008575:Meniere Disease / Q000175:diagnosis*
D005682:Gadolinium