Sigmoid sinus wall dehiscence (SSWD) is the most common etiology of venous pulsatile tinnitus (PT). However, the exact blood flow mechanisms of SSWD-PT remain unclear, and intracranial pressure is closely associated with its development....
Surgeons and audiologists evaluating venous pulsatile tinnitus should be aware that abnormal hemodynamic patterns at the sigmoid sinus can occur without raised intracranial pressure, supporting vascular imaging as part of the diagnostic workup.
Characterising hemodynamic signatures in sigmoid sinus wall dehiscence provides an imaging-based framework that may improve patient selection for surgical correction of this under-recognised cause of pulsatile tinnitus.
- 01Study characterised blood flow patterns in sigmoid sinus wall dehiscence patients with normal intracranial pressure.
- 02Venous pulsatile tinnitus was the presenting symptom in all included patients.
- 03Hemodynamic abnormalities were identified independent of intracranial pressure elevation.
- 04Findings support vascular imaging as a key diagnostic tool for this condition.
- 05Published in Quantitative Imaging in Medicine and Surgery.
Patients with sigmoid sinus wall dehiscence and pulsatile tinnitus exhibit distinct hemodynamic blood flow characteristics even when intracranial pressure is normal.
studypartially supported- PMID
- 42147909
- DOI
- 10.21037/qims-2025-aw-2214.
- Journal
- Quantitative Imaging in Medicine and Surgery
- Publication type
- research_article
- Evidence level
- 4
- Population
- Patients with sigmoid sinus wall dehiscence presenting with venous pulsatile tinnitus and normal intracranial pressure
- Intervention
- Hemodynamic characterisation via vascular imaging of the sigmoid sinus
Primary outcomes
Hemodynamic blood flow patterns in the sigmoid sinus; Correlation of flow characteristics with pulsatile tinnitus presentation