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Assessment & Diagnosis of Vestibular Disorders Flashcards

7 cards from real CVT practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.

Read the first 7 Assessment & Diagnosis of Vestibular Disorders flashcards as text

  1. During the Dix-Hallpike test for posterior canal BPPV, the characteristic nystagmus has which direction?

    Answer: Upbeat-torsional toward the affected (down) ear

    Posterior canal BPPV produces upbeat-torsional nystagmus with the torsional component beating toward the undermost (affected) ear during Dix-Hallpike.

  2. A patient complains of vertigo that is provoked by rolling from supine to left lateral decubitus but NOT by Dix-Hallpike. The MOST likely diagnosis is:

    Answer: Horizontal canal BPPV

    The roll test (Pagnini-McClure) provokes horizontal canal BPPV, which is not consistently elicited by the Dix-Hallpike maneuver.

  3. Skew deviation on the HINTS exam suggests pathology in which structure?

    Answer: Brainstem otolithic pathways (central)

    Skew deviation (vertical misalignment of the eyes) reflects disruption of central otolithic pathways in the brainstem or cerebellum, indicating central pathology.

  4. On dynamic posturography, a patient who falls only on Condition 6 (sway-referenced surface AND eyes closed) has difficulty with:

    Answer: Isolated vestibular system use for balance

    Condition 6 removes reliable visual and somatosensory input, forcing exclusive reliance on vestibular cues; failure indicates vestibular system deficit.

  5. The 'ice water caloric' test performed at bedside uses 0–4°C water to assess:

    Answer: Brainstem integrity and vestibulo-ocular pathways in comatose patients

    Ice water caloric irrigation in comatose patients assesses the integrity of brainstem VOR pathways when standard testing is not possible.

  6. Which outcome measure is MOST appropriate for quantifying dizziness handicap in a patient with chronic vestibular dysfunction?

    Answer: Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI)

    The DHI is a validated 25-item self-report questionnaire specifically designed to measure the perceived handicap from dizziness across emotional, functional, and physical domains.

  7. A patient with unilateral vestibular loss shows spontaneous nystagmus that INCREASES when fixation is removed. This is MOST consistent with:

    Answer: Peripheral vestibular nystagmus normally suppressed by fixation

    Peripheral vestibular nystagmus is typically suppressed by visual fixation; removing fixation (e.g., with Frenzel lenses) unmasks or increases it.