Can a fixed measure serve as a pertinent diagnostic criterion for large vestibular aqueduct in children?

Abstract

Background: A vestibular aqueduct midpoint width greater than 1.50 mm is currently considered to be pathognomonic for a large vestibular aqueduct syndrome.

Objective: To analyse the diameter of the vestibular aqueduct in children as a function of age and consequently to determine if a fixed measure could serve as a pertinent diagnostic criterion.

Materials and methods: This was a retrospective study of 200 high-resolution CT scans of the ear in 100 patients aged 0-16 years and from various paediatric medical departments. On each CT scan, the lateral semicircular canal diameter, the vestibular aqueduct midpoint width between the external aperture and common crus, and the vestibular aqueduct external aperture diameter were measured. Spearman's rank test and the Mann-Whitney correlation test were used for an integrated statistical analysis.

Results: There was no statistically significant variability in vestibular aqueduct diameter as a function of age or sex of patients.

Conclusion: A CT scan threshold value, fixed and independent of age and sex, is thus legitimate for the diagnosis of vestibular aqueduct dilatation.