[What do MRI and CT scan provide us in patients with vertigo and dizziness? A cost-utility analysis]

Vertigo and dizziness are symptoms with a significant burden in the hospital and involve several specialties. There are few guidelines of radiological tests for these symptoms.

To know which profile of patients with vertigo and dizziness has neuroimaging tests, quantify and describe the radiological findings. To analyze the cost-utility of CT and MRI in the study of these patients.

Descriptive study, we selected patients referred to the hospital for vertigo and dizziness. We analyze demographic and clinical characteristics and quantify the neuroimaging tests requested. We describe the radiological findings, assess their relevance in the diagnosis and detail the cost-benefit.

We identified 493 patients, those with neuroimaging test (60%) are older, depressed and frequented the emergency department because of vertigo. The most requested test was the cranial CT scan (5% identifies the cause of the symptom). MRI of the inner ear and cerebellopontine angle was the test that presented the most significant findings (17.7%). The 286 image tests requested for vertigo cost 56,741 euros. The cost for a positive test was 1,576 euros.

A large number of head CT and MRI are made in patients with vertigo and dizziness. A clinical suspicion is recommended from the anamnesis and exploration to make a good selection of test to request. In more than 90% of cases, radiological findings are not shown in relation to vertigo.