Two cases of spinal cord extramedullary tumor with positional vertiginous sensation.

Abstract

CONCLUSIONS:

We conclude that neck imaging should be carried out for patients with persistent paroxysmal positional vertigo following diagnostic and/or therapeutic maneuvers.

OBJECTIVE:

It is sometimes complicated to diagnose patients with vertigo that is transiently induced by head and neck positioning. Neck-vestibular diseases also induce vertiginous sensation with head and neck movement and need to be ruled out for the diagnosis of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV).

PATIENTS AND METHODS:

Two elderly female patients visited our hospital with complaints of transient vertigo induced by Dix-Hallpike positioning, suggesting posterior canal BPPV. We carried out gadolinium-enhanced neck MRI in both these cases.

RESULTS:

The positional nystagmus was not clearly observed or vertiginous sensation did not show any decay during repeated vestibular examination in either case. These cases were finally diagnosed as spinal cord intradural extramedullary tumor (C3-C4) by means of neck MRI.

• Authors: Tadashi Kitahara, Kazumasa Kondoh, Kaoru Kizawa, Arata Horii, Takeshi Kubo
• Journal: Acta oto-laryngologica. Supplementum (Acta Otolaryngol Suppl) Issue 562 Pg. 50-2 (Jun 2009) ISSN: 0365-5237 [Print] Norway
• PMID: 19848240 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Contrast Media
• Gadolinium DTPA

Topics

• Aged, 80 and over
• Cervical Vertebrae (pathology)
• Contrast Media
• Female
• Gadolinium DTPA
• Humans
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging
• Middle Aged
• Neurilemmoma (diagnosis)
• Spinal Cord Neoplasms (diagnosis)
• Vertigo (etiology)