Diagnostic delays in vestibular schwannoma

Abstract

Delays in the diagnosis of vestibular schwannoma have shortened since the introduction of magnetic resonance imaging. Longer diagnostic delays do not seem to have significant consequences.

Sex and Age Associations With Vestibular Schwannoma Size and Presenting Symptoms

“…A greater lag time between symptom onset and diagnosis in men has been reported in 1 study (28) and may account for larger tumors in some cases. This finding has, however, been contradicted by Teppo et al (32). There may be several causes underlying the effect of age on tumor size.…”

Rule 3,000: a more reliable precursor to perceive vestibular schwannoma on MRI in screened asymmetric sensorineural hearing loss

“…We considered that the VSs of grade I or II were less harmful, and asymmetry could probably be developed later and identified by a biannual hearing test. It has been reported that prolonged diagnostic delay did not seem to have a significant consequence on tumor size, symptoms at the time of diagnosis or post treatment morbidity [13]. Jeyakumar et al reported that incidentally discovered ANs accounted for 12% of patients with the diagnosis of AN in their population.…”

Exposure to loud noise and risk of vestibular schwannoma: results from the INTERPHONE international case‒control study

“…Moreover the impact of hearing protection devices is difficult to appreciate: while it is mandatory to wear them in certain occupational settings, they are not always fully efficient (35) and not necessarily always worn by the worker. For cases, recall differences may emerge during the period between first symptoms and final medical diagnosis: the median diagnostic delay for VS has been evaluated to be 14 months in a small Finnish study (N=59) (36). Interest of a physician in the patient's life-long loud noise exposures for a person with hearing disorders or diagnostic tests may have contributed to a heightened awareness of noise issues among cases.…”