| Popis: |
Brain-stem auditory evoked responses (BAERs) and Blink Reflex (BR) were evaluated in 7 patients with brain-stem cavernous angiomas (CA). The average size of the lesions, measured by the maximum diameter as shown by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), was 18 mm. Five lesions were located in the pons, 1 in the ponto-mesencephalic junction and 1 in the midbrain; 5 lied on the left side, 2 on the right. We compared the accuracy and sensitivity of the BAERs and BR methods with that of physical examination and of MRI. Both BAERs and BR seem sensitive tools in revealing brain-stem dysfunction. Of the two, BAERs are more specific for side and location (especially for lesions situated in the lower pons) and correlate with ear impairment, even if some lesions are silent since they do not involve the acoustic pathways. BR disclosed abnormalities of duration prevalently, but no typical patterns regarding location and clinical signs. |
