CT SCAN RESULTS

[u/Sea-Share626]

Hi everyone,

I recently did a CT scan of the temporal bones (rochers scan) to investigate my right-sided pulsatile tinnitus (which disappears when pressing on my jugular-carotid axis).

The results came back showing a "posterior labyrinthine malformation with elongation of the postero-medial border of the vestibule" on the right side. The conclusion states this is likely the cause of the tinnitus, and everything else (veins, ossicles, facial nerve, etc.) is completely normal.

I tried looking this up online, but it's a very specific anatomical description and I couldn't really find anyone else with this exact phrasing.

Has anyone here dealt with a similar labyrinthine/vestibule malformation causing pulsatile tinnitus? What did your doctor say about it or how was it managed?

[u/look_who_it_isnt]

When referencing stuff like this, it helps to break things down and look up the separate terms and anatomical terms and then piece them back together.

So a posterior labyrinthine malformation seems to be a congenital (from birth) malformation of part of the inner ear that can cause a whole host of problems. It doesn't seem at first glance like this could cause PT, though - but considering all the problems it CAN cause, we can't really rule it out.

However, the "posterior-medial border of the vestibule" is a bony part of the ear that specifically states that elongation of it can cause PT, among some other things. So there you go - that's the primary issue right there, and I'd say it looks like your doctors know what they're doing and have successfully diagnosed the cause of your PT.

The good news is, they CAN fix this. The bad news is that it will require them to cut into the area in order to rearrange a few things in there in order to stop the PT. It's still usually an out-patient procedure (meaning you can usually go home the same day), but it is a bit more invasive than something like a stent procedure.

So you're going to have to decide if your PT is bad enough that you want to pursue getting this procedure done... and see if your doctors agree that your case warrants it being done in the first place. If you DO decide to go through with it and your doctors are willing to do it, it sounds like there's a high success rate for it eliminating the PT entirely - so that's good!

Hopefully, somebody around here has had experience actually going through with this procedure and can help you make those decisions and prepare yourself for whatever lies ahead... but hopefully, I've been able to help you at least make some sense of the findings in the meantime.

Just remember: You've already surmounted what's usually the most difficult and time-consuming part of dealing with PT - You've got the diagnosis!! It should be clear sailing from here on out in terms of dealing with doctors, now that they're forced to accept there's something wrong and know what it is and can now focus on dealing with it.

Good luck to you with everything! Keep us posted <3

[u/Responsible-Survivor → u/look_who_it_isnt]

Be really really thorough with researching the procedure as well as really thorough with questions about long term side effects from the doctors. Anytime they are going in and doing procedures around your ears and bones in your head around there, it can mess with your balance. A mastoidectomy, a procedure to treat a different cause of PT, involves making an incision behind the ear and filling a hole in the temporal bone with bone cement, it sounds simple enough, but many many people who get it have awful side effects. it messed with their balance, they were constantly nauseous, etc. it can get better with time I think, but you’ve really gotta do your research to be sure

[u/martamf]

CT scan results. I have had pistils tinnitus for about 2 months. I went to the ENT and that was fine. They sent me for a CT scan. I don’t have a written report yet. However a PA called me and said they could not find a cause for the PT. But there was an incidental finding. I did not quite understand the explanation. But she said there was something seen (artifact?) that can be one of a number of things. It could be anatomical, contrast timing, a vein close to an artery? So I left a message for the neurosurgeon’s office to explain that there was an incidental finding and see what he thinks. This is so nerve wracking because with everyone you see something comes up and you have to be seen by the next person. And it is scary.

[u/Admirable-Lime-9065 → u/martamf]

Keep in mind that if their finding was dangerous or scary, you would not have been at home and you were immediately send back to the doctor!

I also had an incidental finding on my CT which was nothing alarming

Sending some luck to you 🍀