Unterberger's stepping test in acoustic neuroma

Abstract

A prospective study of 100 patients with a unilateral, subsequently histologically proven, acoustic neuroma seen in the Department of Otoneurosurgery at Addenbrooke's Hospital between 1983 and 1988, demonstrated that Unterberger's Stepping test achieved a higher sensitivity (71 per cent) than the Romberg test (39 per cent). The discrepancy between tests is at a maximum for small acoustic neuromas, and therefore the Stepping test may help in the earlier detection of vestibular abnormalities.