Association of cervical vestibular-evoked myogenic potential tuning property test results with MRI findings of endolymphatic hydrops in Meniere's disease.

PURPOSE: To examine the concordance between cervical vestibular-evoked myogenic potential (cVEMP) tuning property test results and MRI findings of endolymphatic hydrops (EH).

METHODS

Fourteen subjects (age 24-76 years) that had been diagnosed with unilateral definite Meniere's disease (MD) (N = 8) or unilateral probable MD (N = 6) were enrolled. All of the subjects underwent cVEMP tests (using 500 Hz and 1000 Hz tone bursts), pure-tone audiometry, and gadolinium-enhanced 3 T-MRI. To examine tuning properties of cVEMP, the 500-1000 Hz amplitude ratio was calculated as the SLOPE. The results of the cVEMP tuning property test results were compared with EH-related MRI findings.

RESULTS

EH positivity in both the cochlea and vestibule on MRI was observed in 7 of the 8 affected ears of definite MD and 3 of the 6 affected ears of probable MD, although it was only in one of the 14 unaffected ears. EH(+) or no response (NR) in cVEMP tuning property test was significantly associated with EH positivity on MRI, while EH(-) in the cVEMP tuning property test was significantly associated with EH-negativity on MRI (p = 0.0016 Fisher's exact test test).

CONCLUSION

EH(+) or NR in the cVEMP tuning property test correspond well to EH positivity in the MRI findings. The cVEMP tuning property test is useful for screening and following up EH.