title: Pulsatile tinnitus caused by a dilated mastoid emissary vein.
abstract: Although pulsatile tinnitus can be audible, objective demonstration of this heartbeat-synchronous sound has rarely been successful. We report a rare case of pulsatile tinnitus in a 44-yr-old female patient, which was induced by a large mastoid emissary vein (MEV) and objectively documented by Doppler sonography of the left posterior auricular region. The tinnitus was intermittent and the patient could adapt to the tinnitus without intervention on the mastoid emissary vein. These findings suggest that a single large MEV can cause pulsatile tinnitus in the absence of other vascular abnormalities, and imaging studies of the posterior fossa and Doppler ultrasonography can aid the diagnosis in such cases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Korea.
authors.forename: Seung-Hwan
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Sam Soo
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Kun-Yong
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Sung
authors.forename: Eui-Cheol
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Nam
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004108:Dilatation, Pathologic / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007601:Jugular Veins / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008416:Mastoid / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014012:Tinnitus / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D014056:Tomography, X-Ray; D014463:Ultrasonography
keywords: Mastoid Vein; Pulsatile Tinnitus