Radiological and audiometric evaluation of high jugular bulb and dehiscent high jugular bulb.
OBJECTIVE
To inform on the incidence of high jugular bulb and dehiscent high jugular bulb, and the symptoms related to these vascular anomalies.


METHODS
A retrospective analysis was performed of temporal bone computed tomography scans of 3285 patients who attended our clinic with various symptoms. The medical records of patients with high jugular bulb and dehiscent high jugular bulb were analysed, and the clinical findings reviewed. Patients with dehiscent high jugular bulb were evaluated for hearing loss with pure tone audiometry.


RESULTS
High jugular bulb was evident in 730 patients (22 per cent) (510 right-sided, 220 left-sided; p < 0.01). Twenty-six high jugular bulb patients had dehiscent high jugular bulb. Ten of these 26 patients had vertigo, 15 had tinnitus and 1 had hearing disturbance. Ten dehiscent high jugular bulb patients had undergone pure tone audiometry: seven patients had conductive hearing loss, two had sensorineural hearing loss and one had mixed hearing loss.


CONCLUSIONS
The incidences of high jugular bulb and dehiscent high jugular bulb were 22 per cent and 3.5 per cent, respectively. Tinnitus was the most common symptom of all patients. Dehiscent high jugular bulb was associated with various degrees of hearing loss, but not hearing disturbance.
Department of Radiology,Ondokuzmayis University Faculty of Medicine,Samsun,Turkey.
A T
AT
Sayit
Department of Radiology,Ondokuzmayis University Faculty of Medicine,Samsun,Turkey.
H P
HP
Gunbey
Department of Otorhinolaryngology,Ondokuzmayis University Faculty of Medicine,Samsun,Turkey.
B
B
Fethallah
Department of Otorhinolaryngology,Samsun Gazi State Hospital,Samsun,Turkey.
E
E
Gunbey
Department of Biostatistics,Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine,Ankara,Turkey.
E
E
Karabulut
D000328:Adult; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D005260:Female; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007601:Jugular Veins / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013701:Temporal Bone / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014012:Tinnitus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D054079:Vascular Malformations / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014717:Vertigo / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology
Computed Tomography; Dehiscence; Hearing Loss; High Jugular Bulb; Middle Ear; Temporal Bone; Tinnitus; X-Ray