A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal
Evaluation of pure-tone audiometric protocols in vestibular schwannoma screening
Authors: Vnencak Matej, Huttunen Elina, Aarnisalo Antti A., Jero Jussi, Liukkonen Katja, Sinkkonen Saku T.
Publisher: PLA General Hospital Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery
Publication year: 2021
Journal: Journal of Otology
Journal name in source: Journal of Otology
ISSN: 1672-2930
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joto.2020.12.004
Web address : https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1672293020301185?via=ihub
Self-archived copy’s web address: https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/53079420
The objective was to evaluate the pure-tone audiogram-based screening protocols in VS diagnostics. We retrospectively analyzed presenting symptoms, pure tone audiometry and MRI finding from 246 VS patients and 442 controls were collected to test screening protocols (AAO-HNS, AMCLASS-A/B, Charing Cross, Cueva, DOH, Nashville, Oxford, Rule3000, Schlauch, Seattle, Sunderland) for sensitivity and specificity. Results were pooled with data from five other studies, and analysis of sensitivity, specificity and positive likelihood ratio (LR+) for each protocol was performed. Our results show that protocols with significantly higher sensitivity (AMCLASS-A/B, Nashville) show also significantly lowest specificity, and tend to have low association (positive likelihood ratio, LR+) to the VS. The highest LR+ was found for protocols AAO-HNS, Rule3000 and Seattle. In conclusions, knowing their properties, screening protocols are simple decision-making tools in VS diagnostic. To use the advantage of the highest sensitivity, protocols AMCLASS-A + B or Nashville can be of choice. For more reasonable approach, applying the protocols with high LR+ (AAO-HNS, Rule3000, Seattle) may reduce the overall number of MRI scans at expense of only few primarily undiagnosed VS.
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