title: Bilateral vestibular hypofunction in neurosarcoidosis: a case report.
abstract: We describe the case of a 59-year-old woman who presented with progressive bilateral vestibular hypofunction and who was found to have bilateral granulomatous mass lesions of the mesial temporal lobe. Initially, her condition stabilized neurologically with corticosteroids, but a diagnosis of neurosarcoidosis was delayed because of the unusual presentation and persistently normal chest imaging results and serum angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) levels. Approximately 1 year after her initial presentation, the patient died of complications of a myocardial infarction and pulmonary embolism. Sarcoidosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of idiopathic bilateral vestibular hypofunction even if the chest imaging and serum ACE levels are normal, particularly when there is evidence of a multisystem process.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
authors.forename: Jonathan H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Kyndra C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Stovall
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Coons
authors.forename: Terry Douglas
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Fife
mesh_terms: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001706:Biopsy; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D002493:Central Nervous System Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008875:Middle Aged; D011241:Prednisone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012507:Sarcoidosis / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000473:pathology; D015837:Vestibular Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D003907:Dexamethasone; D011241:Prednisone