Brain Stem Auditory Evoked Potentials as a Tool in the Clinical Assessment of Children With Posterior Fossa Tumors

Abstract

The use of brain stem auditory evoked potentials (BAEP) as a diagnostic modality in children with posterior fossa neoplasms is described. Thirty-one patients were examined; their diagnoses were medulloblastoma (12), brain stem glioma (9), cerebellar astrocytoma (6), and ependymoma (4). Distinct differences in the type and severity of waveform abnormalities were observed among the different tumor types, possibly related to location and invasiveness. Medulloblastomas frequently demonstrate normal waveforms, while brain stem gliomas demonstrate severe disruption of BAEP patterns. Ependymomas may result in a variety of abnormal studies, while cerebellar astrocytomas induce mild abnormalities or result in a normal exam. The use of brain stem auditory evoked potentials in the diagnosis of pediatric brain tumors, as well as the underlying mechanisms of the abnormalities, is discussed. (J Child Neurol 1987;2:272-275)

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Koos WT , Miller M: Intracranial Tumors of Infants and Children. St Louis, CV Mosby, 1971.

Cohen ME , Duffner PK : Brain Tumors in Children. New York, Raven Press, 1984.

Bilanink LT , Zimmerman RA , Littman P. , et al: Computed tomography of brainstem gliomas in children. Radiology 1980; 134:89-95.

Starr A. , Achor J. : Auditory brainstem responses in neurologic disease. Arch Neurol 1975;32:761-768.

Guthketch AN , Vries JK , Sclabassi RJ : Early detection of brainstem glioma using brainstem auditory evoked potentials. Dev Med Child Neurol 1985;27:331-334.

Nodar RH , Hahn J. , Levine HL : Brainstem auditory evoked potentials in determining the site of lesion of brainstem gliomas in children. Laryngoscope 1980;90:258-266.

Hecox KE , Cone B. , Blaw ME : Brainstem auditory evoked response in the diagnosis of pediatric neurologic disease. Neurogy 1981; 31:832-840.

Stockard JJ , Rossiter VS : Clinical and pathologic correlates of brainstem auditory response abnormalities . Neurology 1977;27: 316-325.

Chiappa KH : Brainstem auditory evoked potentials: Interpretation, in: Chiappa KH (ed): Evoked Potentials in Clinical Medicine. New York, Raven Press , 1983, pp 144-202.

10.

Robinson K. , Rudge P. : Waveform analysis of the brainstem-evoked response. Electroencephologr Clin Nenrophysiol 1981;52: 583-594.

11.

Nunez PL : Brain waves: A theoretical and experimental basis, in Nunez PL (ed): Electrical Fields of the Brain. The Neurophysics of EEG. New York, Oxford University Press, 1981, pp 348-400.

12.

Lynn GE , Verma NP : ABR in upper brainstem lesions, in Jacobson JT (ed): The Auditory Brainstem Response. San Diego, College Press, 1985, pp 203-217.

13.

Goldie WD , Chiappa KH , Young RR , Brooks EB : Brainstem auditory and short-latency somatosensory evoked responses in brain death. Neurology 1981;31:248-256.