Objective:To investigate the classification of head shaking nystagmus（HSN） and its clinical value in vestibular peripheral diseases. Methods:Clinical data of 198 patients with peripheral vestibular disorders presenting with HSN were retrospectively analyzed. Video Nystagmograph（VNG） was applied to detect spontaneous nystagmus（SN）, HSN, and Caloric Test（CT）. The intensity and direction of SN and HSN as well as the unilateral weakness（UW） and direction preponderance（DP） values in caloric test was analyzed in patients. Results:Among the 198 patients with vestibular peripheral disease, there were 105 males and 93 females, with an average age of（49.1±14.4） years （range: 14-87 years）. One hundred and thirty seven patients were diagnosed as Vestibular Neuritis（VN）, 12 as Meniere's Disease（MD）, 41 as sudden deafness（SD） and 8 as Hunt's syndrome accompanied by vertigo. Among them, there were 116 patients in the acute phase, including 68 cases（58.6%） with decreased HSN, 4 cases（3.4%） with increased HSN, 5 cases（4.3%） with biphasic HSN, 38 cases（32.8%） with unchanged HSN, and 1 case（0.9%） with perverted HSN. There were 82 cases in the non-acute phase, 51 cases（62.2%） with decreased HSN, 3 cases（3.6%） with increased HSN, 9 cases（11.0%） with biphasic HSN, and 19 cases（23.2%） with unchanged HSN. In biphasic HSN, the intensity of phase I nystagmus was usually greater than that of phase II, and the difference was statistically significant（P<0.01）. There was no correlation between HSN type and course of disease or DP value. The intensity of HSN was negatively correlated with the course of disease（r=-0.320, P<0.001） and positively correlated with DP value（r=0.364, P<0.001）, respectively. The intensity of unchanged nystagmus and spontaneous nystagmus were（8.0±5.7） °/s and（8.5±6.4）°/s, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference in the intensity of nystagmus before and after shaking the head. Conclusion:HSN can be classified into five types and could be regarded as a potential SN within a specific frequency range （mid-frequency）. Similarly, SN could also be considered as a common sign of unilateral vestibular impairment at different frequencies. HSN intensity can reflect the dynamic process of vestibular compensation, and is valuable for assessing the frequency of damage in peripheral vestibular diseases and monitoring the progress of vestibular rehabilitation.
Male ; Female ; Humans ; Adult ; Middle Aged ; Vestibular Function Tests ; Retrospective Studies ; Nystagmus, Pathologic/diagnosis* ; Vertigo/diagnosis* ; Electronystagmography ; Vestibular Diseases/diagnosis*

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The suppression head impulse (SHIMP) test has emerged as one of the new vestibular function tests. The SHIMP test is an analysis of anti-compensatory saccadic movements in gazing moving targets as the head moves. In this study, we investigated the accuracy and sensitivity of the test. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: We analyzed the results of SHIMP test (gain, amplitude, and latency) in 24 cases, which included normal, vestibular neuritis, benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), Meniere's disease, bilateral vestibular function loss, temporal bone fracture, tuberculosis meningitis and acoustic schwannoma patients. We also carried out a physical exam, audiologic study, video electronystagmography (vENG) and a conventional video head impulse test to evaluate the feasibility of SHIMP test in cases of vesitibulopathy. RESULTS: In patients with vestibulopathy, the analysis of SHIMP test indicated high sensitivity and accuracy, which were supported by accompanying audio-vestibular studies. Patients suspected with BPPV, vestibular neuronitis and Meniere's disease showed low vestibulo ocular reflex (VOR) gain and delayed anticompensatory saccade with smaller and more scattered amplitudes than the control. Patients with bilateral vestibular function loss, temporal bone fracture, tuberculosis meningitis, and acoustic schwannoma showed delayed latency, and small amplitude or few anticompensatory saccades. Finally, changes in the SHIMP test values might be a hint that patients had recovered from vestibular neuronitis and tuberculosis meningitis. CONCLUSION: We found the feasibility of SHIMP test in detecting the pathologic condition of VOR in vestibulopathy patients. We argue that the usefulness of SHIMP test might be extended to evaluating the effectiveness of rehabilitation.
Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo ; Electronystagmography ; Head Impulse Test ; Head ; Humans ; Meniere Disease ; Methods ; Neuroma, Acoustic ; Reflex, Vestibulo-Ocular ; Rehabilitation ; Saccades ; Temporal Bone ; Tuberculosis, Meningeal ; Vestibular Function Tests ; Vestibular Neuronitis

OBJECTIVE: To analyze and summarize nystagmus of patients with posterior canal benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) in positioning test,and to improve the diagnosis and treatment of posterior canal BPPV (PSC-BPPV). METHOD: The present study was conducted on 175 patients who had unilateral BPPV of the posterior semicircular canal (PSC). Their positional nystagmus recorded by videnonystagmography in Dix-Hallpike test,roll test and roll over test were analyzed to summarize the characteristics of nystagmus on nystagmograph of PSC-BP-PV. RESULT: Of the 175 patients, lesion was located in the left PSC in 69 (39.4%) patients,the right PSC in 106 (60. 6%)patients. The nystagmus of patients with PSC-canalithiasis showed upward on the vertical phase of nystagmograph and orientated the different side on horizontal phase in the head hangging position. The horizontal phase pointed to the contralateral side in 47(26. 9%) patients, the ipsilateral contralateral side in 100(57. 1%) patients,no significant reverse ingredients in 28(16.0%) patients. When these patients returned to sit,139(79.4%) patients showed down beating positioning nystagmus, whereas 36 (20. 6%) patients with no nystagmus only had a short vertigo or dizziness. The horizontal phase of the 139 patients pointed to the contralateral side in 40(22. 9%) patients,the ipsilateral contralateral side in 68(38. 9%) patients,no significant reverse ingredients in 31(17. 7%) patients. In roll test,12 patients of the right PSC-BPPV presented an up-beating rotatory nystagmus when the head turned to right,and 5 patients of the left PSC-BPPV presented a down-beating rotatory nystagmus when the head turned to left. When the patients changed body from the left lateral position to the right lateral position in the roll over test, 74(42. 3%) patientsshowed vertical positioning nystagmus. In 30 patients who presented an up-beating nystagmus, there were 25(83. 3%) patientscame from the right PSC-BPPV. In 44 patients who presented a down-beating nystagmus, there were 36(81. 8%) patientscame from the left PSC-BPPV. The direction of the vertical nystagmus was highly correlated with the judgment about the side of the PSC-BPPV in roll over test (P<0. 01). CONCLUSION The patient with PSC-canalithiasis showed an uncertain direction in torsional nystagmus in Dix-Hallpike test,the diagnosis was mainly concern with the vertical nystagmus. When we found a rotatory nystagmus with much more up-beating nystagmus in roll test, it might be PSC-BPPV. We also can use the roll over test to diagnose the location of the otolith in which side of the PSC-BPPV.
Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo ; complications ; Dizziness ; Electronystagmography ; Face ; Head ; Humans ; Nystagmus, Physiologic ; Otolithic Membrane ; Patient Positioning ; Semicircular Canals ; Vertigo ; Vestibular Function Tests

OBJECTIVE: To quantify the posture control ability of patients with peripheral vertigo by computed dynamic posturography (CDP). METHODS: Ninety-one subjects diagnosed with peripheral vertigo by caloric test were divided into unilateral vestibular dysfunction group (unilateral group) and bilateral vestibular disorder dysfunction group (bilateral group). CDP tests including sensory organization test (SOT) and motor control test (MCT) were performed on all subjects. The CDP results were compared with the normal data by t-test. RESULTS: In unilateral group, there was no statistically significant difference in SOT compared with normal data (P > 0.05). In bilateral group, the composite equilibrium score was lower than the normal data, especially during the moving of the platform and the changes of visual stimulation (P < 0.05). In MCT test, the latencies of both groups showed no statistically significant difference compared with normal data (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION During the non-acute period of peripheral vertigo, patients could maintain static equilibrium. Compared with normal people, dynamic equilibrium function is normal in patients with unilateral vestibular dysfunction, but declined in patients with bilateral vestibular dysfunction.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Electronystagmography ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Motor Activity/physiology* ; Photic Stimulation ; Postural Balance/physiology* ; Posture/physiology* ; Vertigo/physiopathology* ; Vestibular Diseases/physiopathology* ; Vestibular Function Tests/methods* ; Young Adult

As the infrared image gray distribution of nystagmus video is uneven, the accuracy of pupil edge detection could not be high enough. A pupil location method based on morphology and Canny algorithm was presented in this paper. Some meaningless regions were removed by morphology, and target was smoothed. The connected regions were separated, and the largest connected region-pupil was found. Then the pupil edges were extracted by the designed Canny edge detection algorithm. The coordinates of pupil for each frame images were calculated and the pupil movement tracking was fitted. Finally, desired clinical diagnostic information would be obtained from the tracking. Experimental results showed that the method could be adapted to different gray values for different objects, and could accurately detect the edge of the pupil. As the pupil was tracked well, the experimental results could reflect the eye movement. The method provides a practical way for the pupil location of existing domestic researches in video-nystagmograph.
Algorithms ; Electronystagmography ; instrumentation ; methods ; Eye Movements ; physiology ; Humans ; Infrared Rays ; Iris ; anatomy & histology ; Nystagmus, Pathologic ; diagnosis ; Videotape Recording

OBJECTIVE: To detect the significance of the electronystagmography (ENG) and the dynamic posturography (DPG) in the vestibular function examination in patients suffering BPPV. METHOD: Forty, 34 to 79 old vertigo patients were examined with DPG and ENG. DPG evaluation parameters includes sense organization test from vestibular sensory score, proprioception score, visual score, Romber's score and composite score. ENG examination include caloric test. RESULT: Twenty-six out of 40 BPPV patients got abnormal caloric test results; 33 patients got DPG abnormality which led to a low vestibular perception scores. Twenty-four out of these patients got abnormal results in both caloric test and DPG, while in 9 patients that got normal caloric results came up with low vestibular perception scores, except for which there was no significant abnormality in SOT. Besides, the BPPV patients, compared with normal, got abnormal scores in caloric test of ENG and vestibular perception test of DPG (P < 0.05), if course of BPPV was over 12 months, higher abnormal degrees appeared (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION ENG and DPG are important methods in vestibular function tests, a comprehensive analysis of both is applied to value the severity of vestibular function in patients with BPPV and the duration of BPPV directly affects the vestibular function.
Adult ; Aged ; Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo ; Caloric Tests ; Electronystagmography ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Postural Balance ; Vertigo ; physiopathology ; Vestibular Function Tests

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Rotation test is a widely used method to evaluate the function of the vestibular system. Generally, the head position to be tilted forwards 30degrees during rotation is preferred in order to bring the horizontal semicircular canals into the plane of rotation, thus ensuring maximum response. However literatures do not provide a clear reference concerning head position during the rotation test. So, we evaluated the vestibuloocular reflex (VOR) induced by sinusoidal rotation in the horizontal plane in the two different head positions: the head tilted forward 30degrees and with the head upright. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 20 men with no known neuro-otological disorders and 9 guinea pigs were studied. The rotations of slow harmonic acceleration on various frequencies were performed with the subject's head in the upright position and in the 30 pitched down position. Computerized electronystagmography in human and magnetic coil in guinea pigs were used to measure the maximum velocity of slow component of horizontal nystagmus and to calculate gain, phase and symmetry of VOR responses. RESULTS: In both groups, results showed no significant differences in gain, phase and symmetry. CONCLUSION: In the two different head positions, there were no significant differences in gain, phase and symmetry. The posture of head upright is more comfortable for the patient and gives enough response for the evaluation of vestibular function.
Acceleration ; Animals ; Electronystagmography ; Guinea Pigs ; Head ; Humans ; Magnetics ; Magnets ; Male ; Nystagmus, Pathologic ; Posture ; Reflex, Vestibulo-Ocular ; Semicircular Canals

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Several manufacturers supply different types of Frenzel glasses, but the quality of these varied Frenzel glasses seems to be quite different. The aim of this study was to compare the competence in suppressing visual fixation (VF) among different types of Frenzel glasses. The second aim was to develop a new type of Frenzel glasses which is cheaper and more convenient to carry, but has an equivalent competence. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Four different types of Frenzel glasses were evaluated: 30 diopter Frenzel glasses manufactured by Nagashima (N), 10 diopter Frenzel glasses manufactured by Jungang (J), 13 diopter conventional magnifying glasses (M) and 17 diopter Fresnel lens glasses assembled by the authors. The amplitude of the spontaneous nystagmus (SN) was measured though the electronystagmography system. The SN was measured 35 times from 15 patients who were diagnosed as vestibular neuritis. RESULTS: The mean amplitude of the SN was 8.8+/-3.2degrees/sec when measured with the videonystagmography goggles. When the same SN was measured through the 4 different Frenzel glasses, it was 7.5+/-2.8 (N), 6.3+/-3.0 (F), 6.2+/-3.0 (M), and 5.7+/-2.6 (J)degrees/sec respectively. The amplitude of the SN was significantly bigger when wearing the N glasses compared to the other 3 glasses. The SN was significantly smaller when wearing the J glasses compared to the F glasses. CONCLUSION: The competence of suppressing VF was significantly different among the varied types of glasses. The F glasses seem to have a similar or better competence with the J glasses. F glasses seems to be a fairly good alternative which is very portable and cheap.
Electronystagmography ; Eye Protective Devices ; Eyeglasses ; Glass ; Humans ; Mental Competency ; Vestibular Neuronitis

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: To find out the causative factors and clinical features of bilateral vestibulopathy in the Korean population. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: The data of 42 patients (mean age: 55.04+/-18.87 years) with bilateral vestibulopathy were reviewed retrospectively between 1997 and 2009. We carried out a full neurotological examination, electronystagmography, a bithermal caloric test, a rotatory chair test, cranial imaging and laboratory studies. RESULTS: Nineteen patients (45.24%) were diagnosed as having secondary bilateral vestibulopathy with causative factors. The most common cause was ototoxic drug (14.29%). Other etiologic causes were labyrinthitis, temporal bone fracture, Meniere's disease, peripheral neuropathy and meningitis/encephalitis. Forty-five percent of all patients had symptoms that lasted less than 1 month, and about 43% of the patients presented with chronic progressive symptoms of over 1 year. CONCLUSION: In about 54% of all patients, we couldn't find any causative factors leading to bilateral vestibulopathy. Because a large subgroup of patients had a history of dizziness over one year, an adequate number of studies on vestibular and cerebellar function are recommended for patients of chronic dizziness to exclude bilateral vestibulopathy.
Caloric Tests ; Dizziness ; Ear, Inner ; Electronystagmography ; Humans ; Labyrinthitis ; Meniere Disease ; Peripheral Nervous System Diseases ; Retrospective Studies ; Temporal Bone ; Vestibular Function Tests ; Vestibular Neuronitis

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical characteristics and common etiology of vertigo. METHOD: The clinical data of 168 patients with vertigo in the department of otolaryngolology and neurology from December 2007 to March 2009 were retrospectively analyzed The patients were inquired and examined by pure tone average thresholds, videonystagmography, Dix-Hallpike test, cervical spine X-ray, skull CT and (or) MRI and transcranial Doppler. RESULT: One hundred and thirty-four patients with vertigo were of peripheral origin, with 66 cases benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, 30 cases Meniere's disease, 24 cases sudden deafness, 5 cases vestibular neuritis, 5 cases otitis media ,2 cases ear herpes zosters and 2 cases ototoxicity. Among 26 patients with vertigo of central, 20 patients were vertebrobasilar TIA. CONCLUSION The most common etiology of the vestibular peripheral vertigo is the benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. Detailed history and the features of vertigo, particular about the duration of vertigo and hearing change, may provide the important evidences for the accurate diagnosis and differential diagnosis of vertigo.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Electronystagmography ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Vertigo ; diagnosis ; etiology ; physiopathology ; Young Adult