Retrospective study of vestibular schwannoma in patients referred to MRI: prevalence and referral criteria

Vestibular schwannoma (VS) is a rare, benign tumor of the vestibulocochlear nerve. Diagnosis relies on MRI, but nonspecific clinical symptoms make early identification challenging. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the prevalence of VS among MRI referrals and assess the clinical symptoms and referral criteria leading to imaging. MATERIAL AND

Findings may prompt re-evaluation of which symptom combinations most reliably warrant MRI referral for vestibular schwannoma, but practice change should await prospective validation and guideline review.

Optimising MRI referral criteria for vestibular schwannoma could reduce diagnostic delays and unnecessary scans, directly affecting audiology triage pathways.

1. 01Retrospective design examining vestibular schwannoma prevalence in an MRI-referred population.
2. 02Evaluates sensitivity and specificity of existing referral criteria for early tumour detection.
3. 03Findings could inform triage decisions in audiology and ENT practice.
4. 04Retrospective design limits causal inference about referral guideline effectiveness.
5. 05Published in Acta Oto-Laryngologica (DOI: 10.1080/00016489.2026.2701321).

PMID

42499013

DOI

10.1080/00016489.2026.2701321.

Journal

Acta Oto-Laryngologica

Publication type

research_article

Evidence level

4

Population

Patients referred for MRI with suspected vestibular pathology

Intervention

Evaluation of MRI referral criteria for vestibular schwannoma detection