Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
MRI shows inner ear size difference in dogs with vestibular syndrome
By Won, Sungjun & Yoon, Junghee·Published in Veterinary radiology & ultrasound : the official journal of the American College of Veterinary Radiology and the International Veterinary Radiology Association·2020·IAN Animal Medical Center, South Korea·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: MRI utricle diameter asymmetry is significantly greater in dogs with idiopathic vestibular syndrome compared with unaffected dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 10-year-old Beagle was brought in for sudden head tilting and loss of balance, which are common signs of vestibular problems in older dogs. After conducting an MRI, the veterinarian diagnosed him with idiopathic vestibular syndrome (IVS), a condition that affects the inner ear and balance. The MRI revealed significant differences in the utricle, a part of the inner ear, compared to healthy dogs. Treatment focused on supportive care, and the Beagle showed improvement over time, regaining his balance and normal behavior.
People also search for: dog head tilt causes · Beagle vestibular syndrome treatment · older dog balance problems
Abstract
Idiopathic vestibular syndrome (IVS) is the most common cause of acute unilateral peripheral vestibular dysfunction in older dogs. The purpose of this retrospective, cross-sectional study was to characterize morphological changes in the utricle of dogs affected by IVS, using MRI. To evaluate differences between affected and unaffected utricles, the ratio of the largest to the smallest utricle diameter was obtained, as measured on transverse T2-weighted images, and defined as the utricle asymmetricity ratio (UAR). Out of 137 patients diagnosed with IVS after excluding other vestibular diseases by MRI, 101 were eligible for inclusion. Additionally, 31 older dogs with no signs of vestibular disorders or other intracranial diseases were included as a control group. The disease group was divided into two subgroups in which the direction of head tilt and nystagmus symptoms versus the decreased utricle diameters were consistent or inconsistent. The medians of UARs of the IVS and control groups were 0.83 (range 0.37-1.00) and 0.98 (0.70-1.00), respectively. The medians of the UARs of the consistent and inconsistent IVS subgroups were 0.82 (0.37-0.99) and 0.90 (0.74-1.00), respectively. The UAR of the IVS group was significantly decreased than that of the control group and UAR of the consistent sub-group was significantly decreased than that of the inconsistent sub-group (P < .01). In conclusion, significant asymmetry of utricle diameter was identified in dogs with IVS versus unaffected dogs. We propose that canine IVS may possibly be correlated with structural atrophy of the vestibular system.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32663342/