Objectives:

In patients who are admitted to the neurology polyclinics with dizziness, some investigations are usually carried out considering cerebral vascular diseases. Isolated vertigo may occur due to posterior circulatory infarction and transient ischemic attack of the vertebrobasilar system. In addition, hypoplasia of the vertebral arteries (VAs) can cause vertigo by reducing blood circulation to the cerebellum and cerebral peduncle. Bilateral VA hypoplasia may cause episodic vertigo attacks. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of significant stenosis, occlusion and hypoplasia in patients with isolated vertigo, who presented to the neurology outpatient clinic with the complaint of dizziness, and to determine whether the dizziness was a sign of stroke.

Materials and Methods:

In this study, Doppler ultrasonography (USG) findings and files of isolated vertigo patients who presented to the neurology outpatient clinic with a complaint of dizziness and who had no pathological findings in their neurological examination were retrospectively analyzed.

Results:

Carotid-VA Doppler USG results of 121 patients admitted to the neurology outpatient clinic between March 2019 and July 2019 were evaluated. Pathology was found in Doppler USG in 27 of these patients. Only four (3.3%) had VA hypoplasia.

Conclusion:

It is important for treatment to distinguish between central and peripheral vestibular diseases. It is possible to diagnose many cases of peripheral vertigo clinically in advanced age patients. However, these patients should be evaluated by keeping vertebrobasilar insufficiency, carotid artery pathologies and posterior fossa ischemia in mind.

Keywords: Dizziness, Doppler Ultrasonography, Stroke, Vertebral Artery, Vertigo