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High jugular bulb with a diverticulum and vestibular aqueduct dehiscence: an anatomical variant to be aware in patients with hearing loss

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Abstract

Purpose

To describe an anatomical variant that should be consider in patients with hearing loss.

Methods

An 8-year-old girl underwent to temporal bone computed tomography for the evaluation of bilateral conductive hearing loss and further assessment of possible enlarged vestibular aqueduct or high jugular bulb on brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Results

CT of temporal bone showed a cystic cavity with bony sclerotic margins extending from the right jugular foramen to the vestibular aqueduct. Bony dehiscence of the jugular foramen with the right carotid canal was also noted. On brain MRI, there was no evidence of enlargement of the endolymphatic duct and sac on T2 thin-section gradient echo sequence. Time of flight MR angiography did not show arterial flow in the cavity. Contrast enhanced MR venography confirmed the presence of a high right jugular bulb with a diverticulum extending into the vestibular aqueduct due to jugular bulb-vestibular aqueduct dehiscence.

Conclusion

Knowledge of high jugular bulb-vestibular aqueduct dehiscence is important in the assessment of patients with otologic symptoms such as vertigo, tinnitus and hearing loss.

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Acknowledgements

Department of radiology – Hospital Universitario Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology, Division of Neuroradiology, Hospital Universitario Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá, Bogotá, Colombia

    Angela Guarnizo & Oscar Torres

  2. Department of Radiology, Division of Interventional Neuroradiology, Hospital Universitario Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá, Bogotá, Colombia

    Juan Andrés Mejía

Authors
  1. Angela Guarnizo
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  2. Juan Andrés Mejía
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  3. Oscar Torres
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Contributions

AG: project development, data collection, manuscript writing and final approval. JAM: manuscript writing–editing. OT: manuscript writing–editing.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Angela Guarnizo.

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Conflict of interest

The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.

Ethical approval

Ethical approval from the institutional review board was not required for this study. The article does not contain photographs or indication that could be traced back to a human participant. The patient gave a written informed consent for all testing during the clinical process, namely, for temporal bone computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging.

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Guarnizo, A., Mejía, J.A. & Torres, O. High jugular bulb with a diverticulum and vestibular aqueduct dehiscence: an anatomical variant to be aware in patients with hearing loss. Surg Radiol Anat 44, 1041–1044 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-022-02983-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-022-02983-y

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